The Beginning of the End
by Muse Decends
Summary: Dean and Sam come across a couple of girls trapped in a house. The problem is, they know everything there is to know about the boys. They help free the girls, but can they put them back where they came from, and do they even want to go?
1. The Meeting

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS CREATED BY KRIPKE.

Author's Note: So, I revised Chapter One and I'm working on chapters two through four. So please, be patient. :) Thank you!

2/29/12 - I'm going to be adding a couple of chapters as well, so the whole story is going to get an overhauling. I'm not going to take down chapters until I have everything set and ready to do the complete overhaul. So for right now, just enjoy what's been posted, and I'll try to get everything done as soon as possible. :)

* * *

Dean pulled the Impala up to the curb before it sputtered out the last of its gas in a cloud of fumes. He slammed the palm of his hand on the steering wheel then looked up at the nearly looming house they had stopped in front of.

"At least we're here," Sam said, his eyes glued to the massive building. Dean looked at his brother, a bemused expression on his face.

"Always the optimistic one, aren't you Sammy?" Dean asked. Sam smiled over at him.

"It could be worse," Sam started, thinking back to the last town they had stopped in. Dean shot a look at him, causing him to stop talking and his smile to falter.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with," with that said, Dean exited the car and walked up to the door, tucking his gun into the back of his jeans. Sam handed him an ID and Dean turned back to Sam, an eyebrow raised. "You ready?" he asked.

Sam shrugged and nodded and let Dean take the lead. His brother knocked on the door, squaring his shoulders. The door opened slowly, revealing a woman with long dark hair dressed in jeans, knee high boots, and an old band t-shirt fitted to her form.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, her eyes shifting between the two of them. She leaned against the door casually, a small smirk on her face. Sam arched an eyebrow at her. She seemed strange to him right off the bat; and not the supernatural kind of strange. Dean adjusted his coat on his shoulders and turned to Sam, wanting him to proceed.

"Um, yes. Could we come in?" he asked. The girl seemed to consider this as she gave them both a once over.

"Why?" she asked. Sam nudged Dean with his elbow and pulled out his ID, showing it to her.

"We're local police, and we're investigating a claim that's been filed with us against this house," Sam explained. She raised one eyebrow, which happened to be pierced. She took the badges from them, and as she looked them over, her amusement seemed to increase.

"Can I ask what's been filed against me?" she asked, handing back their badges and crossing her arms as she leaned against the door jamb.

"Odd noises, loud crashes, that sort of thing," Dean added in. Her eyes flicked to him then back to Sam and Dean felt an odd urge to shudder.

"Alright, but I doubt you're going to find anything." She stepped back from the door and allowed them access. As Dean passed her, she reached out and grabbed a hold of his arm. "You should be careful, sir," she warned in a tone that made Dean think that she knew more than she was saying. She released him just as quick and nodded to Sam as he made his way into the house. She closed the door behind him and watched them look around the foyer. She moved to pass them in the narrow room and entered through an archway ahead of them. Dean turned to his brother, confused.

"What was that about?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged as he watched where the woman had disappeared. "You think maybe-" Dean started and turned to stare at the doorway as well.

"Witches?" Sam suggested. It was Dean's turn to shrug. They both turned to face the stairs when a loud thud echoed over them.

"Well, I guess she's awake," the woman's voice said. They both looked back at the archway to find her standing there, looking upwards.

"Who?" Sam asked. She turned her gaze back on them and smirked, her eyes burning as she watched Dean like a hawk.

"Dylan."

Dean raised his eyebrows, an unnerving feeling crawling its way up his spine. "Who's Dylan?" Dean asked, swallowing the lump in his throat. She smiled crookedly and her eyes went to watching the stairs.

"Your worst nightmare," she said cryptically. Sam raised an eyebrow and moved to approach the woman.

"Can I ask you your name?" he asked. She paused as she thought then smiled at him.

"Briar?" another female voice called from up the stairs. The woman turned her attention to the stairs, a huge grin in place.

"Dyl, you're gonna flip shit," she called back in answer. Dean and Sam looked a little uncomfortable standing exposed in the foyer, but they watched as a set of rather expensive looking shoes came into view first, then a pair of legs clad in skinny jeans followed by an off-white halter top covered in black swirls then the girls face framed by medium length brown hair. Her eyes widened when they landed on Dean and she froze.

"Briar?" Dylan asked. Briar let out a low laugh.

"Yeah?"

"Am I really seeing this?"

"Told you you'd flip shit." Briar said.

"D-dean?" Dylan's quiet voice came out before a huge smile lit up her face and she came flying down the stairs and launched herself at Dean, tackling him to the floor. Dean let out rough grunt and looked up at Sam from the floor.

"Ow," Dean groaned and reached up to rub the back of his head. Dylan was still attached to him, her arms wrapped around his neck as her face was buried in his chest. She inhaled deeply and let out a quiet noise. "Sam, you wanna help me out here?" Dean asked. He gave a pleading look to his brother. Briar arched an eyebrow, a smirk on her face.

"Oh I think you can handle it yourself," Briar said from her place against the doorjamb. Sam's face lit up as he too smiled a bit, though he was trying to hide it. Finally, Sam managed to school his features and reached out for Dean.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're officers and you're impeding our job," Sam said in his best authority voice. Dylan looked up at him innocently and smiled before she erupted in giggles and buried her face in Dean's chest again.

"You can cut the act, Sam. It won't work on us," Briar said, rolling her eyes. Sam turned to her confused and Briar just raised her eyebrows. Dylan giggled again and Dean looked down when she looked up at him.

"We've seen you on TV," Dylan said, earning an abrupt hushing from Briar. The older woman bent down and unlatched Dylan from Dean and pulled her up forcefully.

"We don't share that kind of intel with them, Dylan," Briar said. Dean stood up and brushed himself off, looking between the two of them.

"I'm sorry, but are you girls witches by chance?" Dean asked. Briar stopped her near silent argument with Dylan to stare at Dean.

"What?" she asked. "No." She still seemed confused.

"Then can you tell us what's been going on?" Sam asked. Briar stood away from Dylan and straightened up.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Dylan stood quietly, her eyes on Dean, a dumb smile on her face. Dean backed away a little when he caught her staring at him.

"We were told this house was empty, but strange noises kept coming from it," Dean explained. Briar's eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes slid from Sam to Dean, watching them as she thought.

"I, this may be-" she started, seemingly unsure how the finish. Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at his brother.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I have a theory," Briar started again. The two of them waited for her to continue. "Maybe we should sit," she suggested, pointing at another archway just a few feet ahead of them. Dean motioned for them to go ahead and Briar and Dylan led the way into a rather large living room furnished by two couches positioned so they faced each other with a coffee table between them. Briar and Dylan sat down on one, leaving Sam and Dean to position themselves on the other and wait for Briar to explain.

"Perhaps you can help us while you're here," she said first. "Dylan and I have found ourselves trapped in our own home."

"How?" Sam asked as he leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. That was Sammy, always trying to help people. Briar struggled to find the words to explain.

"Uh, we can't really leave this house. We can't go outside, it's like," she paused trying to come up with an analogy that they would get. "It's like we're demons, we're not though, and we're trapped in a really big devil's trap," she said. Dean's eyes widened. Briar held up her hands. "We're not demons, I promise, you can test us any way you want to," she said. Sam and Dean looked at each other then looked back at Briar.

"How do you know about demons?" Dean asked. Dylan's smile grew.

"Because we've watched you on TV, silly," she said. Briar clapped a hand over Dylan's mouth to hush her. When she was sure that Dylan would be quiet, she pulled her hand away and turned back to the boys.

"What does she mean?" Sam asked. Briar's eyebrows furrowed.

"That's a theory of mine. Uh, I think Dylan and I are trapped between realities. The two of you showing up here is another sign that just strengthens that for me," Briar said. Dean shook his head.

"Different realities? We've never encountered anything like that before," Dean said. Briar nodded as if she understood.

"It's confusing, I know. But that's the only way I can really see this happening," Briar said. Dean turned to Sam and raised his eyebrows.

"Got any ideas?" Dean asked. Sam sat back and considered what he'd been told.

"Do you know how you went from your reality to ours?" Sam asked. Briar looked upset for a second, like she was debating on whether or not she wanted to give them more information.

"I can take a guess, but I really have no idea. The means must have been magical, and I really have no idea what kind of spell was performed," Briar admitted finally.

"Spell?" Dean asked. Briar looked down at the floor.

"Well, now you have to tell them," Dylan piped up from beside her. Dean had almost forgotten she was still there. Almost. His eyes shifted to her now, still a little wary after her previous attack.

"Tell us what?" Dean asked. Briar let out a heavy sigh and stood up.

"Might as well follow me," she said. Dean and Sam stood, as well as Dylan and they all followed Briar out of the living room and to a door behind the staircase. Briar paused there and fished in her jeans pocket, pulling out a small gold key. She unlocked the door and let it swing open. The older woman looked as if she were afraid to enter, but she did so anyway.

The room was mostly empty, and really dark until Briar flicked the lights on. On the far wall was an old oak desk, but that was not what unsettled Sam and Dean. There was a symbol carved into the wood, several corners marked by dark blue and black candles. A gray candle sat in the center and on either side of that, within the curves of the symbol, lay two sets of wax dolls bound together with twine. Dean turned to Sam, putting the oak desk out of his sights.

"That's some deep hoodoo," he said, his eyes landing on Briar and Dylan. Briar looked up at him from the floor and nodded.

"It came out of nowhere. This used to be an office, not a spell room, or whatever you want to call it," Dylan said.

"You don't know what the symbol means?" Sam said. He moved closer to the desk to see the whole thing, no doubt committing it to memory. Briar shook her head.

"No," she said for Sam's sake, who wasn't looking at her. Briar looked like she was sick and Dylan moved to lead her out of the room.

"We'll come back to this later, Sammy. Maybe it could have something to do with why you two can't leave the house," Dean said and followed Dylan and Briar out of the room. Sam closed the door behind him and Briar immediately moved in to lock it, shoving the key back down into the bottom of her pocket.

"Something had to have cast that spell," Sam said.

"Any idea what though?" Dean asked him. Sam shook his head and turned back to the girls.

"Have you smelt anything like rotten eggs?" Sam asked.

"No, no sulfur," Dylan said, looking proud of herself. Briar looked like she was about to say something.

"I see a dark shape walking the halls upstairs at sunset," she admitted. Dylan looked at her shocked.

"Show us," Dean almost demanded. Briar shot him a glare but moved around the staircase to climb up it. Briar led the way up the stairs and turned left, pausing to wait for them. When all of them were crowded on the top landing, Briar pointed down a hallway in front of her that ended in a dead end.

"My room's that way, and it starts over at the end of the hall then," she turned so the staircase was behind her and she was going down a hall, "it comes this way past Dylan's door," she said as she walked the rest of the course. She paused at a spot three feet further than the first door after Dylan's and turned to face them. "It stops here and disappears."

"It goes past my room?" Dylan squeaked, her eyes wide. Dean looked behind him, then turned to face Briar.

"Is that all?" he asked. Briar nodded. Dean turned to stare at Sam, and thought for a few seconds. "Mind if we go get some things and come back?" Dean asked. Briar motioned for them to go ahead.

"It's not like Dyl and I are going anywhere," she said, a twinge of animosity coloring her words. Sam looked like he wanted to do more to help her but he felt lost. Briar didn't blame him. Instead, Sam followed his brother down the stairs and no doubt out of the house. Briar watched Dylan for a second before departing from her friend to sit in her room and wait.

"So? What do you think it is?" Dean asked. He pulled an empty duffel bag off the top of the arsenal and propped the lid up with an old shotgun they never seemed to use.

"I don't know. It could be some evil spirit or a demon, but there doesn't seem to be any trace of sulfur," Sam admitted. Dean shrugged and pulled a container of salt loose from the compartment. He dropped it in the bag, better safe than sorry. Sam grabbed at an EMF reader and handed one to Dean.

"What about a demon? Can't they do some of that creepy magic too?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged and checked a sawed off to see if it was loaded; he put a couple of salt shells in it.

"Like I said, I don't know. But we have to help them, Dean," Sam said. Dean turned away from the car, having put everything they might've needed into the bag. He shut the trunk and watched his brother.

"Our best bet is to stake it out and see. You think you can look up that symbol on the desk?" Dean asked. Sam nodded and grabbed his laptop bag out of the back seat of the car. "You ready?" Sam nodded again and they headed back up to the house.


	2. Apocalyptic Prophecies

DOWN FOR REVISION! PLEASE BE PATIENT, THANKS!

~ Muse


	3. Demon Altercations

DOWN FOR REVISION! PLEASE BE PATIENT, THANKS!

~ Muse


	4. Mission Impossible

DOWN FOR REVISION! PLEASE BE PATIENT, THANKS!

~ Muse


	5. Convincing Bobby or Yellow Fever

Author's Notes: Okay, so this is SERIOUSLY the longest chapter I have ever written. ELEVEN PAGES! Can anybody say woot? Fine, be that way. *sigh* So, I had to go back to the first chapter and change some things for this chapter to make sense. I totally didn't think about future chapters and when the girls would end up, so, yea. I loved the episode Yellow Fever and I felt like writing a chapter during that time, so here ya go. :) I have plans for chapter six, but I have to watch the episodes they're gonna be based off of. I plan on having a little fun with this while I can. *evil laugh*

**Disclaimer: I like that CD by Seether. OH! I don't own Supernatural or any of the characters in the show. *GRIN* *jams out to Seether***

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* * *

Chapter 5: Convincing Bobby/ Yellow Fever**

Dylan sighed for the billionth time, her head resting on the window of the car. Briar still would'ttell her where they were headed. All she knew was the direction. East. She buisied herself with reading the road signs. One in particular stood out the most.

_Now entering:_

_Sioux Falls, South Dakota_

"Bobby?" Dylan exclaimed. Briar grinned at her. "We're going to see Bobby?" Dylan asked, bouncing in her seat. Briar rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Yes, Dylan. We're going to see Bobby. I want to figure out _when_ we are," Briar answered.

"You think Bobby can help us with that?" Dylan asked. "Do you think it'd be safe to tell him the whole story?"

Briar shook her head. "We'll leave out some things. We won't tell him about the other dimension. Just, let me do the talking," Briar said. Dylan nodded.

* * *

Briar pulled up in the makeshift driveway of Singer Salvage Yard. "We're here." she said with a smirk on her face. She watched Dylan bolt out of the car before following her. "Dylan!" Briar called after her friend. When she caught up to her, she forced her to stop. "Remember, act like we don't know him. He's a stranger to us," Briar explained. Dylan frowned, not liking the concept, but nodded anyway. Both girls walked up to the front door, Briar knocked. The stood at the door for a while before Bobby opened it a couple of inches and stuck his face out.

"Can I help you girls with something?" Bobby asked. Briar smirked at him.

"Bobby Singer?" she asked, he nodded. "We'd like to talk to you," she continued. Bobby's eyes shifted between the girls.

"About what?" he asked, his suspicion rising.

"Hunting," Briar answered. She was trying to keep it as short and sweet as possible. Bobby narrowed his eyes.

"What about hunting?" he asked. Briar's vague answers weren't helping.

"We got your name from the Winchester brothers, does that count for anything?" Briar asked. Bobby watched them for a few seconds before opening the door wider to let them in.

"Wanna tell me who you are?" Bobby asked, his tone still edging on suspicious. Briar smiled sweetly at him.

"Typically, I'd joke around, but if I say the wrong thing, it'd mean our lives wouldn't it?" Briar asked, Bobby nodded. "I'm Briar Cayden, and this is Dylan Blake. We're new found hunters," Briar said. Bobby lead the two into his kitchen.

"Can I offer you girls anything to drink?" he asked them. He cast a glance at the ceiling where a devil's trap was etched into the wood, both girls standing under it.

"A beer would be nice," Briar said. Dylan raised her hand.

"Ditto," she said. Bobby reached to the back of the fridge to pull out a couple of bottles, both beers laced with holy water. He handed one to each girl and watched closely as both reached their hands outside the circle. Briar popped the top off hers and chugged a good portion of it. She let out a breath and moved to sit at the table, out of the circle.

"So, do we call you Bobby?" Dylan asked, following Briar to the table. Bobby nodded and sat across from them.

"So why exactly are you two here?" Bobby asked, studying them. Briar shrugged and took another swig of beer.

"We're just starting out. We've already handled a couple of cases, both ghosts. We don't necessarily know all the monsters we could face. We thought an experienced hunter, like yourself, could teach us about some of the baddies out there," Briar answered. Bobby considered her answer.

"You said the Winchester boys gave you my name?" he asked, both girls gave him a nod. "How'd you meet them?" he asked, continuing the interrogation.

"Mm, you don't want to try silver first?" Briar asked. Bobby raised his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Briar smirked at him.

"C'mon Bobby," she started. "You're a hunter. We came here expecting to be tested," she raised her beer. "Holy water in the beer," she said then pointed at the ceiling where the devil's trap was. "Devil's trap. Now you need silver and to compare our story to the boys'," Briar said. Bobby sat back and studied her.

"I thought you two didn't know a whole lot about what you were fighting?" he asked them. Dylan leaned forward.

"We don't," she said. "Our first 'teacher' tested us like this too," she said. Bobby stood and grabbed a couple of silver eating utensils off the counter and handed them to the girls. They held the silver in their hands for about a minute before simultaneously setting them on the table and showing their unburned palms to Bobby.

"Okay, your human," Bobby admitted, causing both girls to smile. "Now, how'd you meet the boys?" Bobby asked again. Briar took a swig of her beer.

"We were a case," Briar stated simply. She leaned back in her chair. Dylan shot her a look.

"What Briar means, is that we were being, haunted, I guess you could call it, by a demon. It wanted to use us as vessels. They got rid of the demon, well, demons and that's how we met them," Dylan explained.

"Well, that's the short and sweet version really," Briar added. Bobby nodded.

"So you've left some things out," he clarified. Briar nodded.

"It's not of import," she said, a smirk on her face. Dylan smacked her in the arm.

"So you girls want me to teach you about what's out there?" Bobby asked.

"Yep!" Briar chirped. "Last hunter we went to, the guy trained us to fight them, but didn't tell us how to kill 'em," she said. Dylan held her hand up, her thumb and pointer finger about an inch apart.

"He was a little over protective," Dylan said. Bobby nodded. The vibe he gathered from these two told him that they were capable of taking on the hunting lifestyle. The way they acted together was also very familiar.

"So, how're we gonna do this?" Briar asked through a yawn and stretch.

"First off, it looks like you girls are tired. You two need rest before I start shoving facts into your brains," Bobby said, standing from the table. He motioned for the girls to follow him up the stairs to one of the rooms he kept for Sam and Dean. "You two can stay here for the night," he said before leaving them.

* * *

"Dylan? You awake?" Briar asked as she rubbed her eyes. She heard a groan from the other bed that told her Dylan was aware, but it would still be a couple of minutes before she was up and moving around. "Okay, Imana get some coffee," Briar said, standing from her bed and walking out the door. When she reached the kitchen she say Bobby filling his mug. "Mornin'" Briar croaked out. Bobby chuckled and pulled down another mug and poured her some of the fresh brewed caffeine. He passed the cup over and she sniffed it, inhaling graciously.

"How was your sleep?" Bobby asked, trying to make conversation. Briar hummed before taking a sip of jo, then smiled.

"Fantastic, thanks. It's nice to not have to sleep in the car," she said. Bobby nodded and walked into his living room. Briar followed him and smiled pleasantly at Dylan. "Well, good morning Starshine," she chirped. Dylan rolled her eyes.

"The only reason you're so peppy right now is because you've got coffee," Dylan commented, pointing at the mug in Briar's hands.

"You know me so well," Briar said. Bobby looked between the girls as they greeted each other.

"You girls ready to start the day?" Bobby asked, pulling a stack of books from a shelf. He set them on his desk then opened a drawer and pulled out two leather bound books, pens attached. He handed the black one to Briar and the blue one to Dylan. "Every hunter needs a hunting journal. In these, you keep information on all creatures and monsters you can, research you collected on cases, and a couple of spells," Bobby said. Dylan smile sweetly.

"Aw, Bobby, you care!" she said, her hand stroking the leather spine of her journal. Bobby picked up a group of books from the stack on his desk, ignoring Dylan's comment, and distributed them between the girls. Briar sat her mug on the desk and collapsed into a nearby chair, stacking the books Bobby gave her on the floor. Dylan spread herself out on the couch.

"There isn't much I can teach you. All the information I have about monsters comes from the books in this house. So, have at it," Bobby said before sitting back down at his desk. Briar propped her feet up and grabbed the first book, setting to work.

Three hours into the research, Bobby's phone rang. "What in Sam hell? Hello?" he answered. He paused for a few seconds. "Well, Sam, that's nothing new. I tell you what though, I have two girls here that are calling themselves Briar and Dylan," Bobby started before pausing again. "Of course I tested them, ya idjit," he answered, his tone slightly disbelieving. " I wanted to clarify their story. They said you two saved them," Bobby paused again. "Demon, yes," Bobby sighed. "Your story has just been cleared, girls," Bobby told them. Briar stuck her fist in the air for a second before continuing her writing. "How strange?" Bobby asked Sam, clearly moving on to a new subject. " That is strange. You think Dean's affected?" Bobby asked He stood and pulled a book from the shelf, leafing through the pages. "What it sounds like is ghost sickness," Bobby said, sitting back down with the book open to the description. Dylan's head snapped up and she stared at Briar. Briar's posture didn't change. A slow, cruel smile crept across her face, betraying her though patterns to Dylan. Briar finished writing her sentence then closed her books. She put Bobby's books back on the shelf, then headed up the stairs, her new hunting journal in hand. Bobby watched her go before turning his attention back to Sam.

"Why weren't you affected?" Bobby asked Sam. Dylan zoned out and closed her books. She copied Briar's actions and met her upstairs.

"Well, we know when we are now," Dylan said as she and Briar packed up their suitcases. "Where are we headed now?" Dylan asked. Briar paused to smirk at her.

"Colorado," Briar said then went back to packing. Dylan narrowed her eyes.

"Rock Ridge?" Dylan asked, her tone belaying her suspicion. Briar said nothing, but zipped up her bags.

"You coming?" Briar asked. Dylan grabbed her bags and followed her.

* * *

Briar pulled the Mustang in next to the Impala and shut off the engine. Dylan plastered herself to the window, her eyes locked on the other car.

"It's just as pretty as I remembered it," Dylan said, her tone a little dreamy. The girls got out and entered the Bluebird Motel.

"Can I help you girls this morning?" the desk clerk asked, her voice cheery.

"We need a room, two beds," Briar said, slipping an ID onto the counter. The clerk picked it up and began typing information into her computer.

"Okay Ms. Anders, can I have a credit card?" the clerk asked. Briar opened her wallet and pulled one out, handing it across. "We have a room on the fifth floor for you, if that's okay," she said. Briar smirked at her and nodded.

"That's fine," Briar said. The clerk had her sign a slip of paper then handed back the ID and credit card. She handed them a set of keys and directed them to the elevators. The girls entered their room and looked around, dropping their bags on the beds.

"Shall we?" Briar asked, already heading to the door.

"Briar? Please don't torment him too much. He's having a bad day," Dylan said. Briar smirked at her and left the room.

* * *

The two stopped outside a room door on the first floor and pressed their ears to it to listen.

"I don't want to be a clue," Dean's voice came across rather forlornly. Briar pulled her ear away from the door and smirked.

"Bingo," she said. Dylan let out a light squeal.

"He's so adorable," she whispered feverishly. Briar rolled her eyes.

"Tell us what, wood chips?" Dean exclaimed from the other side of the door. Briar stepped back then, before Dylan could stop her, launched forward and kicked in the door.

"Here's BRIAR!" she said loudly. Dean let out a scream and hid partially behind Sam. Briar let out a quiet laugh and sat on the closest chair. Dylan closed the door behind them and joined the group in the room. "What's wrong Dean? Scared?" Briar asked. Dean stepped out from behind Sam.

"No," he said, defending himself.

"What are you girls doing here?" Sam asked. Briar looked over at Dylan, a smirk on her face.

"We figured you boys could use some extra hands. OR, we could sit back and learn from the best," Briar answered. Sam squinted at her.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. Briar pulled one shoulder up then let it drop.

"We're hunters now, inexperienced ones," Dylan said, her tone proud. Dean shifted his eyes between the two girls.

"Well, I guess we could take you two out on a couple of hunts. We've got to go explore an old lumber mill now, though, if you two want to join us," Sam offered. The two exchanged a look.

"Cassity and Sons?" Briar asked. Sam nodded.

"Yea, how'd you know?" he asked. Briar shrugged.

"We passed by it on our way into town," she offered up. She stood and headed to the door. "We'll follow you guys in our car," she said before the two left. Dean and Sam looked at each other before grabbing the keys and heading out to the Impala.

Dean let out a low whistle when he laid eyes on the '70 Mustang parked beside his baby. He stood by the driver's side door of the Impala and let his eyes wash over the car beside him.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Briar said as she walked up beside him, adjusting the duffel she had slung over her shoulder. He spotted Dylan walking up to the Mustang's driver door. Briar tossed a set of keys over the vehicle and Dylan caught them.

"She yours?" Dean asked, Briar nodded. Dean let out another whistle and got in his car. He rolled down the window and leaned his head out, Briar did the same. "At least you girls have style," he said before starting his car and backing out of the space.

Dylan gripped the steering wheel and looked over at Briar, a big goofy grin on her face. "He likes our baby!" she said. Briar rolled her eyes at her then reached over to turn the keys.

"Let's get going before we loose them," Briar said then sat back in her seat, the bag of weapons in her lap.

* * *

Both cars pulled up in the driveway of Cassity and Son's Lumber Mill, stopping just a short ways away from the door. The girls piled out of the Mustang and Briar opened her duffel bag up on the roof of the car. Dylan watched Dean and Sam get out of the car and Sam lean against his side to talk to Dean.

"I need back up, and you're all I've got," he said. Dean looked back at the girls and did a double take when he saw Briar sliding long daggers into her boots.

"What are they, chopped liver? They can go in as your back up," Dean said, trying to get out of it. Sam gave Dean a look.

"You're going in Dean," he said and both boys moved to the back of the Impala.

"Let's do this," Dean said after drinking a bit of amber liquid from a flask. He looked back up at the building as he unlocked the trunk. "It's a little spooky, innit?" he asked. Sam rolled his eyes and pulled out a shotgun for himself. Dean turned to look at the girls as he heard a couple of clicks. He watched them load their own shotguns before turning back to see Sam holding his gun out to him. "Oh, I'm not carrying that," Dean said. Sam shot him another look. "It could go off," he explained. Sam dropped the gun back into the trunk. Dean picked up a flash light and held it in both hands. "I'll man the flashlight," he said.

Sam stood and watched him for a second before replying. "You do that," he said. "You girls ready?" he called to them. The both held up their respective weapons and smiled at them. Dean leaned in close to Sam.

"They scare me," he said. Sam looked between the girls and his brother.

"Why?" he asked. Dean shrugged.

"They have cooties," Dean responded. Sam arched an eyebrow. "And weapons, big weapons," Dean continued.

"Dean, I don't think they're gonna hurt you," Sam tried calming he brother down. Dean took another swig of alcohol and nodded, following after Sam and the girls as they walked towards the building.

The group entered the building, Sam and Dean taking the lead, much to Dean's displeasure, and the girls tailing. Briar and Dylan didn't mind being out of the action, considering they already knew what was going to happen. Both girls posture was lax as they watched the boys in their element and live.

The EMF meter in Sam's pocket started going off and he pulled it out. He pointed it at Dean and let out a huff of air.

"EMF's not gonna work with me around, is it?" Dean asked, both girls mouthing the line to the boys' backs. Sam let out another breath of air.

"Ya don't say," he said, his tone hinting at sarcastic. "Come on," he said, motioning forward before sticking an arm out to stop Dean, startling him in the process. Sam bent down and pulled a gold ring out from under a bit of trash. Dean shined the light on it and Sam began to read the inscribing. "To Frank, Love Jessie. Frank O'Brian's ring," Sam said. Dean looked from the ring to Sam and back again.

"What the hell was Frank doing here?" Dean asked. Sam stood and pocketed the ring.

"No idea," he said. Briar smirked when the group heard a commotion in a nearby locker room. She cleared her face before Dean and Sam looked back at them. Dean's face betrayed his fear. Sam motioned them forward and the girls followed his lead. Briar pulled her phone out of her pocket and clicked it to camera. She set it to record and turned her flashlight to the boys. Dylan glared at Briar as soon as she saw the phone. The girls watched Dean stand a ways back, the flashlight pointed at the locker and Sam position himself in front of the locker, gun raised. The girls stood between the boys, Dylan's light on the locker and Sam, Briar's light and phone raised and recording Dean.

Sam mouthed to the group, 'On three,' then began counting down. When he opened the locker, a tabby cat meowed and eased down onto the floor, Dean began screaming like a girl. After a couple of 'shouts' Dean began panting and trying to calm himself down. Briar could barely withhold her laughter. Dylan was having trouble as well.

"That was scary," Dean said. Sam stared blankly at him for a second before walking away, his shoulders tensed from keeping his laughter in. Briar stopped her recording and began cracking up, she couldn't help it anymore. Dylan joined her as the girls walked after Dean and Sam into another room.

They watched Sam split and head to the right to dig through a desk and Dean head to the left to shuffle through papers on another. Sam held up a dirty and crumpled ID, mumbling the name. "Luthar Garland," Sam said.

Dean examined a drawing of a woman. "Hey this is a..." he started, pulling a sheet of paper out of his pocket. "This is Frank's wife," he finished, comparing the photo to the drawing.

"The plot thickens," Sam said as he walked up closer.

"Yea. But, into what?" Dean asked as he picked up the drawing, ripping it in the process. Various machines in the building began turning on and running, causing the guys to look around. Sam watched over Dean's shoulder as Dean searched behind Sam. Briar and Dylan watched as Dean froze, his flashlight illuminating the ghost of Luthar Garland. Sam looked back at his brother's face then turned and spotted the ghost. He held his gun up and focused in on him. The girls watched Dean bolt from the room, leaving the doors gaping open after them. Briar leaned in close to Dylan.

"This was all much funnier in person," she said quietly before Sam let off a shot then ran after his brother. The girls followed him and found Dean sitting behind the Impala. "Hey Dean?" Briar called over to him. He flinched as she got closer. Briar stopped a short ways off. "In the Impala would have been safer," she said. Dean looked between her and the car.

"I guess we got the right place," Sam said, trying to cheer Dean up. Dean shuddered then chugged the last of his flask.

* * *

"Aww, how come we have to miss drunk Dean?" Dylan asked. Briar looked up from her magazine.

"Because it's not necessary for us to be there," Briar said, her tone blank. She laid back on her bed and glanced at her watch before going back to reading her magazine. "Besides, I'd like to be here when Dean comes running back after being chased by that little yorkie," she added. Dylan sat back on her bed and watched Briar for a second before returning her attention back to the TV.

"Think we should go and wait in their room?" Dylan asked. Bruar didn't look up this time.

"You just want to look through Dean's things, don't you," Briar said. Dylan shook her head, though she knew Briar wouldn't see it.

"No," she said aloud. Briar set down her magazine and stood. She gave Dylan a glare before walking out the room door.

* * *

Briar knocked on the door to the boys' room and waited. After a few minutes of silence, Briar bent down and began picking the lock, now replaced after she busted through earlier.

"I can't believe you just kicked in the door. Do you like doing that on purpose or something?" Dylan asked. Briar heard the lock click and opened the door. She stood and entered the room, looking around.

"Yup, I love freaking people out," Briar said, her tone even. Dylan rolled her eyes at her before situating herself on the sofa. Briar opened the minifridge and pulled out a beer. "Beer?" she asked. At Dylan's nod, she grabbed a second bottle and opened them both, handing one to her friend and sitting down with the other one. The two watched TV, waiting for Dean to return, on foot.

* * *

Dean collapsed through the door, panting hard, and slammed it shut. He peered out the peephole before backing up and perching on the arm of the chair and dropping his head in his hands.

"Wow, he looks sexy in a suit," Dylan said. Dean's head snapped up and around to stare at the girls still situated on the couch.

"How'd you two get in here?" he asked. Briar smirked at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she asked. Dean's eyebrows rose and he backed away from them. Briar took a sip of beer and returned her attention back to the TV. "Did'ja have fun with the yorkie?" Briar asked. Dean shook his head.

"How'd you know? How'd you know I was chased by a dog?" he asked, his paranoia going up. Dylan smacked Briar and turned sympathetic eyes on Dean.

"We heard the dog barking outside," she said, trying to ease his mind. Dean nodded and sat back down, this time on one of the beds. The girls sat quietly and went back to watching the muted television.

A while later, Sam walked through the door, his eyes on Dean. "Where were you, I've been looking for you," he said. Dean looked up at him, his eyes still showing fear. "How'd you get here?" Sam asked him. Briar let out a short chuckle.

"Ran," Dean answered. Briar nodded her head, Dylan shook hers.

"From a yorkie, with a little pink boy in it's hair," Brair said. Sam looked from Dean to them.

"How'd, why are you two here?" he asked, his eyebrows knitted together. Briar shrugged one shoulder.

"Thought we'd come see what you two got," she answered. Dylan rolled her eyes again. Sam shook his head.

* * *

The girls sat on either side of Dean. Sam had asked them to watch him while he took care of the ghost. Briar had agreed whole heartedly, though Dylan was the only other person outside of Briar's head to know _why_ she had. Dylan stayed behind to watch after Briar, who was sure to find some way of tormenting Dean.

Dean was watching an old cartoon about a play dough horse getting dragged along. Briar laughed at the irony of it. "Oh, this isn't helping," Dean said. He looked over at Briar and changed the channel.

* * *

Briar had moved to one of the beds and was lounging back on it, her eyes closed. Whether she was asleep or not, neither Dylan nor Dean could tell. Dean's phone started ringing and he picked it up

"Hey," he said, looking back at Briar who hadn't so much as twitched in the past half hour. "Ugh, what is it?" he asked his brother. He hung up after Sam wouldn't tell him what the plan was. 'Good plan,' he mouthed, not making a sound.

"His plan sucks," Briar said suddenly from the bed, causing Dean to jump.

"What?" Dean asked, watching Briar open her eyes and stare directly at Dean.

"Sam's plan," she said simply. "The whole of it sucks," she answered. Dean shook his head.

"So, I'm," Dean started, but couldn't bring himself to continue.

"No, you'll live," Briar said. Dean sighed. "But that doesn't mean his plan doesn't suck," she said again, closing her eyes again.

"That's it," Dylan said standing. "Briar, you and I are going back up to our room. At this pace, you'll be the one to give him a heart attack," she said, trying to defend Dean. Briar opened her eyes again and shrugged. She stood and grabbed her discarded jacket, walking towards the door.

"It's best we leave him alone anyway. I don't think he'd like us to see him at his weakest," she said. Dean gave her an odd look. Dylan smiled at her, then turned to give Dean a sad look.

"You'll be fine, just remember that," Dylan said before leaving with Briar. Dean locked the door after them and sat back down on the couch, scratching his arm.

* * *

"I wanna go to him. He's in trouble, and I _know _it," Dylan complained, her head in her hands. She could see the scene playing out in her head. The sheriff kicking in the door and attacking Dean, gun in hand.

"Yea, but you also know how it turns out," Briar answered her. She was browsing through the ringtones on her phone, completely unaffected by the actions that were sure to be happening on the first floor.

"I just need to see with my own eyes that he'll be okay," Dylan said. Briar shrugged.

"You go back down there, I follow and start tormenting him again," Briar threatened, causing Dylan to glare at her.

"Fine," she said and laid back on her bed. "But I don't like this."

* * *

Briar and Dylan were leaning back against their car in the circle of vehicles. They had both decided to go back with Bobby and collect more information, and possibly training. They had exchanged numbers with the boys, much to Dylan's pleasure, and were now talking about how Sam and Bobby had saved Dean.

"So you guys road hauled a ghost," Dean asked drinking a bit of beer. "...with a chain," he finished. Bobby nodded.

"Iron chain, etched with spell work," Sam clarified. Briar let out a laugh.

"'Cause that works better than normal chain that have no affect on ghosts," Dylan put in.

"Hm. Well, that's a new one," Dean said, taking another swig. Bobby shrugged.

"That's what he was most afraid of. It was pretty brutal though," Sam said, scrunching his face up. Dean looked over at Sam.

"On the upside, I'm still alive, so go team," Dean answered, his voice showing little enthusiasm. Sam and Bobby smiled at him.

"Yeah. How are you feeling by the way?" Sam asked. Dean looked over at him then at Bobby.

"Fine," he said simply.

"You're sure Dean?" Bobby asked him. "Because this line of work can get awfully scary," he said. Dean's eyebrows knitted together.

"I'm fine. What, you wanna go hunt? I'll hunt. I'll kill anything," Dean answered, his tone getting defensive. Sam smiled at Bobby.

"Aww," Sam let out. Bobby chuckled.

"He's adorable," Bobby said, straitening. All four let out a laugh.

"Did I mention I got that girly scream on tape?" Briar asked. Sam pointed at her.

"You've got to send me that," he told her. Dean glared at Briar.

"I want that deleted," he said. Briar nodded.

"Yea, sure, after I make a bunch of copies and post them everywhere," she said. "By the way, that wasn't one of your worst moments," she reasoned. "Be glad I didn't film those," she said.

Dean nodded. "I wanted to thank you two for letting me be miserable on my own. It was bad enough by itself, but to have someone witness it," Dean shuddered. "Thanks," he said.

"I gotta get out of here, you girls ready?" Bobby asked. Briar and Dylan nodded and went around to the sides of the cars, Dylan in the driver's seat. "You boys drive safe," Bobby added to the boys.

"You too, Bobby," Sam called over to him. "Hey, thanks," he added. Babby nodded at him the got in his car. Both vehicles started and they pulled away.

"I hope Dean'll be alright," Dylan said, her eyes on the road ahead.

"He'll be fine. He can power through," Briar said, comforting her friend. "He did power through Hell, after all," she tacked on. Dylan glanced at Briar and frowned.

"Shut up," Dylan said and kept driving.

* * *

End Notes: *dances* I had to torture Dean a little. moonbluewolf kept trying to defend him when I was coming up with ideas, so a lot of them got shot down...REVIEWS ARE LIKE NEKKID JENSENS or MISHAS in my case... *drools over nekkid Misha* I want one of those...


	6. Meeting Anna

**Author's Notes: **Okay, so I know this one took a while. Let me tell you _why_ it took so long. I friggin' HATE. **_HATE_** Anna with a purple passion. YOU try writing something based off of the actual dialogue from the show. Anna talks to friggin' much. And I was stuck on the Alistair fight for so long. I started this chapter by pen and paper, so actually writing out the fight scene, would have killed my hand. BUT! I have this ready for a very special time. Today is Friday for me, and it is a very special friday. Friday September the 24th. YEP! Start of the new season. *jumps for joy* So, enjoy this chapter, and I can't promise anything with Heaven and Hell. Like I said. I friggin' **_HATE_** Anna. But enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Me no own, you no sue. This is just for fun. I would like an Anna though, just so I can murder her.

**

* * *

Chapter Six: Meeting Anna**

"How're you girls holding up?" Bobby asked, coming back into the living room. He sat his mug on the desk and situated himself in his chair again.

"I do believe I won't be able to write for a week," Briar said, dropping her pen in her journal and cracking her knuckles. "Not to mention the silence is driving me crazy," she finished. Dylan let out a sigh and shoved the books out of her lap.

"I don't think I've ever worked that long on something," Dylan said, reaching her arms up in the air to stretch her back.

"I don't think you've ever been silent for that long," Briar shot back. She stood and moved to the kitchen to grab a drink. Dylan scoffed at her.

"I can be silent!" she shouted after Briar. Briar walked back in and leaned against the door jamb, beer in hand.

"Yea, when you're asleep. Sometimes not even then," Briar said before taking a swig of beet. Dylan shot her a glare.

"Alright boys, settle down," Bobby said, his attention still on the work in front of him. Briar stared at Bobby. Dylan turned her face, dead panned, and stared at Bobby as well.

"I don't have the junk to be male," Briar said. Bobby glanced up from his desk to both girls, their expressions frozen in place.

"What?" Bobby asked, confused by their stares.

"You called us boys," Dylan explained, her tone empty.

"No I didn't," Bobby defended, squinting his eyes. Briar arched an eyebrow.

"Whatever you say, chief," she said, sitting down in her chair again. Bobby looked between the two again before returning to his work. Briar's phone began to play Rise Above This by Seether. She picked it up and answered.

"Hey Sam," she greeted, leaning back in her chair. "How's it hanging?" she asked. She sat quietly as Sam told her the news. "Anna? Um," she muttered and glanced over at Dylan. "I'll talk to Dylan about it. I'll call you back in a minute," she said and clicked her phone shut. She turned to Dylan and raised an eyebrow. "You wanna go?" Briar asked. Dylan buried her face in one of the books and grumbled something. Bobby lifted his head to watch her. "I'll call Sam back, then, to let him know. Go pack your bags," Briar spoke, pulling her phone back up. Dylan snapped her books shut and dragged her body off of the couch and up to the room they were staying in.

"You understood what she said?" Bobby asked. Briar nodded and pressed send, putting the phone up to her ear.

"Sam? We'll start heading that way. You better tell Dean, well, he'll find out when we get there," she said then shut her phone and turned to Bobby. "We'll be gone for a few days," she told him and went upstairs to pack her belongings.

* * *

Briar pressed her foot to the gas and sped down the deserted back road to catch up to the boys. She was well on her way to making a three day drive in two days. Dylan was holding on to her seat for dear life.

"You think you could slow down some?" Dylan asked, trying to keep her heartbeat semi-normal. Briar shook her head and looked over at Dylan. "If you're going to drive this fast, don't take your eyes off the road!" Dylan screeched. Briar laughed but looked back at the road.

"You'll be fine," Briar said. She eased off the speed a little but kept a steady pace. Dylan let out a breath.

"Somehow I don't believe that," Dylan said. Briar's phone rang and she picked it up.

"Hey Dean, what's up?" Briar answered. Dylan's head turned to stare at Briar, her fear forgotten. "Connor Beverly Behavioral Center?" Briar clarified. Dylan looked ahead to the graceful curve fast approaching and dug her fingernails into the dashboard. "I'm not sure if we can make it at that time," Briar spoke calmly. She turned the steering wheel slowly and the car drifted along the curve. "We'll just check into the motel and meet you there," she said to Dean, straightening the car out again. Dylan cast a glance over at the speedometer.

"Did you just take that curve at a hundred miles per hour?" Dylan asked, her voice squeaking. Briar nodded, smirk on her face.

"I'm freaking Dylan out. We'll be there in a couple of hours," Briar said. Dylan's eyes widened, Briar hit end and dropped the phone in the seat next to her leg.

"You are going to kill me," Dylan said, causing Briar to smirk again.

"I'm here to protect you from everything but myself," she answered. Dylan rolled her eyes but sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. It was easier to pretend they weren't going at neck breaking speed when she couldn't see the road flying past.

"And heartbreak," Dylan said, Anna floating to the forefront of her mind. Briar shook her head and slowed the car more.

"You can't expect him to know how you feel, Dylan," Briar reasoned. "He doesn't know what you would like to happen. Even now though, he's still a man of many women. Do you really think he would settle for just one?" Briar questioned, her eyes locked on the road. Dylan looked over at her, a sad defeat in her eyes.

"Well, I know that, I do," Dylan said, hunching down in her seat, her eyes on the road in front of them. "But I don't know how to tell him; how to bring it up," Dylan nearly whispered in the silence. Briar had slowed to speed limit and a car passed.

"My advice," Briar started, casting a glance over at Dylan. "Don't let what's going to happened with Anna and Dean hit you so hard that you can't get past it," Briar stated wisely. Dylan looked over at Briar. "It'll hurt, yea. I don't doubt that, but don't let it take over," Briar concluded. Dylan shook her head.

"I couldn't hold that over him if I tried," Dylan said. Briar shook her head this time.

"That's not what I meant," Briar said. Dylan squinted at her. "I know you couldn't possibly hate him," Briar added. Dylan nodded. "What I was trying to say was to not let your knowledge of future events affect the way you act around, for lack of a better term, the characters," Briar said. Dylan continued to stare at her. "Look," Briar said, beginning to break it down further. "The boys know we know them, but they don't know _how much_ we know," Briar spoke. Dylan nodded. "I don't want us being here to really affect the time line," Briar concluded.

"So we don't screw up the outcome," Dylan tested her understanding. "I get it," she said, watching the town slink into view. Two more cars passed them. The silence closed in around them again. Briar let it sit for a second more before turning her iPod on. Cold by Crossfade played across the speakers and the girls stared out the front windshield, the conversation at it's end.

* * *

Briar stepped out of their motel bathroom dressed in silk gray slacks, and aqua drape-collar blouse, and a matching gray silk jacket. One of the many reasons she hated going FBI was the lack of normal knives. She had her hand gun holstered on her back and that was it. She missed all her knives. Dylan smirked at her.

"You look like a chick!" she chirped. Briar frowned at her. She sat on her bed and slipped on a pair of aqua colored heels. She stood and pulled out an official leather case that held her FBI badge. A knock sounded on their door and Briar watched Dylan's face fall before she moved to answer it. A sly grin spread over the side of Dean's face.

"Long time, no see, girls," Dean said, walking into the room, Sam following him. "How are you two doing?" he asked pulling his suit jacked closer around his body. Briar glanced at Dylan then turned to Dean.

"We're pretty good. Dylan's having a few issues," Briar answered. Sam squinted his eyes and turned to Dylan.

"What's up?" Sam asked. Dylan shook her head and turned, loading her gun. Sam let the subject drop and turned back to Briar. "Anna Milton," Sam said, starting up the business.

"You guys already stopped by the psych-ward," Briar stated, digging through her weaponry bag.

"Yea. It turns out that her brand of crazy is the holy crazies," Dean said. Briar paused in her digging and glanced at Dean, the look in her eyes none too friendly. She went back to digging.

"What was she diagnosed with?" Briar asked, her shoulders now tensed up.

"Schizophrenia," Sam said, his voice wary.

"She was hallucinating about hearing angels," Dean said, a slight humor to his voice. Briar ignored him and yanked off her jacket, placing it folded by the weaponry duffel before pulling off her gun's back holster. She replaced it with a double knife back sheath and a high shoulder holster. With an FBI badge, she could get away with the gun if it was flashed. She transferred her gun and slipped her suit jacket back on.

"Shall we?" Briar asked, plastering an almost perfect false smile on her face. Dean walked up to the door and opened it, letting the girls and Sam out before him.

* * *

The Impala was encased in silence except for the thrum of the engine and Briar's constant shifting.

"Can we get some noise in here? I'm going crazy," Briar let out, her voice low. Dean switched on the radio. Briar sighed and leaned back in her seat. Dean glanced at her through the rear view mirror. Briar was the last person he wanted armed and twitchy in his car.

* * *

The small group flocked up to the front door of the Milton home, Dean leading the pack. He knocked and waited for an answer, while Sam looked over at the driveway.

"Maybe they're not home," Dean suggested, turning back to the group.

"Both cars are in the driveway," Sam said, pointing over at them. Dean looked out, then back at the door. He put his hand on the knob and turned, the door opened.

"Mr. and Mrs. Milton?" Dean called into the house. Sam walked in behind him.

"We're from the Sheriff's Department. Just wanted to ask you a couple of questions," Sam said as he headed into the living area. Briar and Dylan stood by the door and watched the boys walk off in different directions. Sam paused as he stepped around the couch and saw the couple dead. Sam made a noise and Dean joined the trio, moving further into the living room than Briar and Dylan were. Sam bent down and touched a small pile of whitish powder. He sniffed what came away on his fingers and recoiled. "Sulfur," he explained, ridding his hand of the substance. "The demons beat us here. Whatever the deal is with this Anna girl," Sam started, standing up and moving around the bodies.

"Yea. They want her, and they're not screwing around," Dean said. He picked up a pile of mail and started flipping through it. "Alright, so, I'm girl, interrupted and I," he paused as Briar let out a noise. "And I know the score of the Apocalypse. Just busted outta the nut box. Possibly using super powers by the way. Where do I go?" Dean reasoned. He set the letters down and watched Sam. Dylan moved to stand next to Dean and Briar leaned against the couch. Sam picked up a picture frame.

"Hey, you got those sketches from Anna's notebook?" Sam asked, bringing the picture over towards them.

"Yea," Dean answered, confusion masking his face.

"Let me see them," Sam asked, stepping up to Dean. Dean pulled the papers out and handed them over to Sam. Sam compared one of a stained glass window to the family photo he had. "Check this out," Sam said.

"She was drawing the window of her church?" Dean asked. Both stood and looked at each other.

"If you were religious, scared and had demons on your ass, where would you go to feel safe?" Sam asked.

"To the church we go," Briar said. The boys turned to look at her. She put her hands up. "That's were I'd go. Good thing I'm not religious," she said before turning and leaving the house.

* * *

"I feel so much better now," Briar said as she stepped out of the Impala. Dean turned and frowned at her. "Suits make me uneasy," she said. All four had changed into normal citizen clothes, and in the case of Briar, added more weapons.

"Whatever. Let's get this over with," Dylan said, stalking up to the church. The boys looked to Briar, who wordlessly followed after her. They weren't going to get an answer from her.

* * *

"This area is clear," Sam called across the church to Dean. They met in the middle by the door to the attic where Briar and Dylan waited.

"Told you it was pointless. If I were hiding, I'd go to the attic," Briar said, turning her back to them and leading the way up the stairs.

The girls spilled into the attic first, weapons still in their holsters and sheaths. The two spread out on either side and started walking forward. Sam and Dean followed after them, their weapons drawn, taking the middle. "Hey," Sam said, grabbing everyone's attention and pointing at the shadow behind a panel of free-standing stained glass. Both Dean and Sam put their weapons away as Briar and Dylan closed in beside them. "Anna? We're not gonna hurt you," Sam said, trying to assure her. "We're here to help. My name is Sam, this is my brother Dean. And these are," Sam started before Anna's voice cut him off.

"Sam? Not Sam Winchester?" she asked.

"Uh, yea," Sam answered, looking over at Dean, confusion written on his face. Anna stepped out and stared at Dean.

"And you're Dean. The Dean," Anna said. Dean gave a smug look.

"Well, yeah. The Dean, I guess," he said. Dylan let out a low growl.

"It's really you. Oh, my God," Anna said, stepping forward. "The angels talk about you. You were in hell, but Castiel pulled you out. And some of them think you can help save us," Anna let out in one breath. She turned to Sam. "And some of them don't like you at all," she said before turning back to Dean. "They talk about you all the time lately. I feel like I know you," she finished. Briar let out a breath, causing Anna to turn to her.

"Join the club," Briar said. Anna squinted her eyes.

"I don't know you," she said. Briar lifted an eyebrow.

"That's because you interrupted Sam before he could finish, but my name is not the point now," Briar said.

"So you talk to angels?" Dean asked, turning Anna's attention back to him.

"Oh no. No, no way. Um, the probably don't even know I exist," she said. Briar let out another breath. "I just kind of, overhear them," she finished, ignoring Briar now.

"You overhear them?" Sam asked. Dylan scoffed.

"Smart question, Sam," Dylan said, turning her back to Anna to watch the door.

"Yea, they talk and sometimes I just, hear them in my head," Anna answered, not even giving a clue that she had heard Dylan's comment.

"Like, right now?" Dean asked. Briar rolled her eyes.

"Not right this second. But a lot. And I can't shut them out, there's so many of them," Anna answered.

"No shit Sherlock, they're angels," Briar said, knowing full well she'd be ignored again.

"So they lock you up with a case of the crazies, when really, you were just tuning in to angel radio?" Dean asked, turning his attention from Briar to Anna. She smiled at him.

"Yes, thank you," she said, stepping up closer. Briar made a noise of disgust. Dean turned eyes on her and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Anna, when did the voices start? Do you remember?" Sam asked, putting them back on track.

"I can tell you exactly. September eighteenth," she said, looking between them. The boys turned to each other.

"The day I got outta hell," Dean commented.

"First words I heard, clear as a bell, _'Dean Winchester is saved,'_" Anna said. Dean turned to Sam and Dylan, then to Briar.

"What do you think?" he asked the group. Briar shrugged, Dylan ignored him.

"It's above my pay grade, man," Sam answered. Dean turned back to Anna as Briar, too, turned to face the door.

"Well, at least we know why the demons want you so bad. They get a hold of you, they can hear what the other side's cooking. You're 1-900-angel," Dean commented. Anna's face lit up with a smile. A spark of thought passed behind her eyes.

"Hey, um, do you know? Are my parents okay? I-I didn't go home, I was afraid," Anna started. Ruby burst through the door.

"You got the girl? Good, let's go," Ruby said in a rush, looking back at the door. Both Briar and Dylan pulled weapons out.

"Ugh! Her face!" Anna exclaimed. Briar snorted.

"Yea, I know, it's ugly right?" Briar commented.

"Look, it's okay, she's here to help," Sam said, holding his hand out to calm Anna.

"Don't be so sure," Dean said.

"We have to hurry," Ruby said, trying to get them to listen.

"Why?" Dean questioned. Ruby looked back at him.

"Because a demons coming, big timer. We can fight it later, Dean," Ruby said. Her attention snapped to the girls on either side of the boys in fighting stances.

"Well, that's pretty convenient. Showing up right when we find the girl with some big wig on your tail?" Dean commented. Briar rolled her eyes.

"I didn't bring him here, you did," Ruby shot back.

"What?" Dean asked, his voice rising in anger.

"He followed you from the girl's house. We've got to go now!" Ruby exclaimed. Sam turned back to face one of the statues.

"Hey," Sam said, pointing at one of the angels. Briar and Dylan stayed in their positions as everyone else turned to stare at the bloody tear tracks on the statue's face.

"It's too late. He's here," Ruby breathed out. Sam turned to Anna.

"Come on, come with me," he said as he frantically searched for a place to hide the girl. Sam came back and stood between Briar and Dylan and pulled out a flask of holy water.

"No, Sam. You've got to pull him right away," Ruby said. Sam's shoulders hunched inward, but he put the flask away.

"Whoa, hold on a sec," Dean protested.

"Now's not the time to bellyache about Sam going dark side. He does his thing, he exercised that demon or we die," Ruby reasoned. Both Dylan and Briar snorted. The door burst open and a man entered.

"Ooo, I've been wanting to meet you," Briar said before launching into attack, her daggers out in front of her. The demon flung her off to the side, pushing her through a couple of columns. Sam raised his hand and tried exercising him. He coughed.

"That tickles," the demon spoke before he laughed at Sam. "You don't have the juice to take me on, Sam," he said, flinging Sam off behind him into the banister and down the stairs. Dean, angered, attacked the demon with Ruby's knife. The demon caught Dean's attempt. "Hello again, Dean," he said before he pushed Dean into a pillar. "Don't you recognize me? Oh, I forgot, I'm wearing a pediatrician," the demon said. He reared his hand back and flung it into Dean's face. "But we were so close, in Hell," the demon said.

It was Dylan's voice that echoed in the room, her call of, "Alistair!" before she fired several shots into him. Alistair jerked from the blows, but turned and flung Dylan into the far wall before turning back to Dean. Sam ran up, Ruby's knife in his hand, and plunged it in to Alistair.

Alistair stared down at the knife. "You're going to have to try a lot harder than that, son," he said. Sam grabbed Dean and ran, jumping out the large stained glass window. Alistair turned back to find the girls jumping out a different window, huddled together as well.

* * *

Sam sat on his bed, stitching up a cut on his arm. Briar was lain back on the other bed, her arms flung out on either side of her, one leg propped up. "Dislocated hips suck _ass_," Briar said. Dean looked back at her from the bathroom sink.

"Yea, yea. You almost done, Sammy?" Dean asked. Sam grunted.

"Going as fast as I can," Sam responded to him.

"Good, 'cause you know I got a dislocated shoulder over here," Dean complained.

"At least you can walk," Briar shot back at him, throwing an arm over her eyes. "And I still need mine popped back into place too," she finished.

"I'll pop them back when I'm finished," Sam said, appeasing both of them.

"While you three tend your wounds, I'm gonna go take a nap in my room," Dylan said, standing and leaving.

"You do that," Dean said, raising a liquor bottle to his lips to drink. Sam cut the thread.

"Gimmy that," Sam demanded, holding his hand out for the bottle. Dean handed it over and Sam poured some on his wound.

"So we lost the magic knife, huh?" Dean asked. Sam hissed out a breath.

"Yea, saving your ass. Who the hell was that demon?" Sam asked.

"No one good," Dean replied, his tone low. "We gotta find Anna," he said, changing the subject.

"Ruby's got her. I'm sure she's okay. Alright, c'mon," Sam said, getting up. He grabbed Dean's shoulder. "On three. One," he jerked roughly on Dean's arm and a loud pop sounded. Dean grunted and Sam moved over to the bed with Briar on it. "You ready?" he asked her.

"You sure about Ruby? I think it's just as likely she used us to find radio girl then brought that demon in to kill us," Dean said. Sam jerked upward on Briar's leg, another pop sounding. Briar let out a breath and her eyes slipped closed.

"I'm kinda with Dean on this one, Sam," she said, her voice weak.

"No, she took Anna to keep her safe," Sam said, defending the demon. Briar let out a light snore signaling she was asleep. The boy's looked at each other for a second before diving back into their argument.

* * *

Briar woke to the sound of a knock on the door.

"House keeping," a voice said from the hall. Dean turned to look at the door.

"Not now," he called back, hoping to dismiss her.

"Sir, I've got clean towels," the maid persisted. Dean stood and opened the door.

"Couldn't you just leave them at the door?" Dean asked. Briar sat up at the maid walked in, handing the pile of towels to Dean. Dean shut the door behind her. She went to the windows and closed the curtains before turning to Sam.

"I'm at this address," she said, handing him a slip of paper. Sam looked confused as he too the paper from her.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked the unfamiliar face. Briar let out a low breath that sounded fairly similar to a chuckle.

"Go now. Go through the bathroom window. Don't stop. Don't take your car. Don't pass go. There are demons in the hallway and in the parking lot," the maid said. Briar pulled out her phone and begun typing a message.

"Ruby?" Sam questioned. Dean's face fell.

"Okay, yes. So I'm possessing this maid for a hot minute. Sue me," she answered, putting her hands on her hips.

"What about," Sam trailed off.

"Coma girl?" Ruby asked. "Slowly rotting on the floor back at the cabin with Anna. So I've got to hurry back," Ruby said.

"Oh yes, a rotted Ruby would be so~ bad," Briar muttered with a twinge of sarcasm. All eyes turned to her, Ruby's with a tint of hate.

"See you when you get there. Go!" she commanded, walking to the door. She shot Briar a glare before leaving. Briar's phone buzzed.

"So what do we do now?" Dean asked. Briar pulled up her phone again and sent another text.

"We meet Dylan out back and drive to the address," Briar stated matter-of-factly.

"Ruby said to not take the car," Sam said; Briar shook her head.

"Demons know your car," she began before attempting to stand. She winced and stumbled, but managed to keep on her feet. "Dylan and I haven't made a name for ourselves yet," she finished. Sam stood and held his hands out to her.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go?" he asked her. Briar nodded, but placed her hand on Sam's shoulder to steady herself.

"Let's get this show on the road," Briar said, limping off to the window. Sam turned to Dean. Dean shrugged and followed after Briar.

* * *

Sam knocked on the door to the cabin that Ruby and Anna were hidden in. Ruby answered the door and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Glad you could make it," Ruby said, letting the small group in.

"Yeah, thanks. Anna, are you okay?" Sam asked, moving over to the couch that Anna sat on.

"Yeah, I think so. Ruby's not like other demons. She saved my life," Anna said. Dean looked over at Ruby.

"Yeah, I hear she does that. I guess I uh...you know," Dean said.

"What?" Ruby asked. Dean wiped his hand across his mouth.

"I guess I owe you, for Sam. And I just wanna...you know?" Dean stammered. Briar shook her head and lead Dylan off to a separate part of the cabin.

"What's up?" Dylan asked. Briar's gaze was sympathetic.

"Do you really want to put yourself through this?" Briar asked. "I mean, now's the time to get out," she continued. Dylan stared at the floor.

"Leaving doesn't change what happens here. I'd rather be here to help with what I can," Dylan said. Briar nodded.

"I understand, I do. But will you be able to do anything past your emotions?" Briar questioned. Dylan shook her head.

"I won't let it get to me," she said, her gaze focused over Briar's shoulder on Dean.

"You don't know that," Briar pleaded. Dylan turned back to Briar.

"And you don't know, either," Dylan snapped at her, her eyes glassy with unshead tears. Dylan looked away from her friend. "I'm sorry," she said. Briar leaned forward and enveloped Dylan in a hug. "I know you're just trying to protect me," she mumbled into Briar's shoulder. Briar rubbed her back.

"If you feel like you can get through it, then we'll stay," Briar said. She let go of Dylan and moved back.

The lights began flickering, signaling the arrival of their 'guests'.

"Well, hello there, Cass," Briar said to the ceiling. Both girls turned to watch Sam close the door to the spare room, Anna hidden inside.

"Where's the knife?" Ruby asked after digging through one of the duffels.

"Uh, about that," Dean said, pausing to look at Ruby.

"You're kidding," Ruby said, letting out an exasperated breath, her eyes focused on Dean.

"Hey, don't look at me," Dean said, giving Sam a pointed stare.

"Thanks a lot," Sam rounded.

"Great. Just peachy. Impeccable timing guys, really," Ruby shot back. The light flickered off one last time and the door burst open. All eyes turned to the door and Castiel stepped in, another angel in tow. Ruby shuddered and Dean let out a breath.

"Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day," Dean said, stepping forward.

"Oh, I can see that. Want to explain why you have that stain in the room?" the new angel asked, stepping up beside Castiel. Briar stepped forward.

"Don't really know. You can kill her if you like," Briar said. The angel smirked at her.

"No, we need her," Sam defended, shooting a glare at Briar.

"We're here for Anna," Castiel said, dragging their attention back.

"Here for her like, here for her?" Dean questioned, suspicion seeping in.

"Stop talking. Give her to us," the strange angel said, growing impatient.

"Are you gonna help her?" Sam asked, his tone worried.

"No," Castiel said, his shoulders slumping down a little. "She has to die," he finished.

* * *

**End Notes:** Heaven and Hell will be posted in Chapter seven. And yes, I am totally leaving off on where the episode ended. This was eleven typed pages, and I wrote it out by had first, so imagine how many written pages it was. I'm a traditionalist, so sue me. *shrug* Reviews are pleasant, but the story will go on without any viewers. . It's not like I'm spending any money to write this...


	7. Heaven and Hell

**Author's note:** So, I've decided that I'm not going to follow episodes anymore. It's hell trying to write from the script, and there isn't a lot of opportunities for Briar and Dylan to talk. From now on, it's either going to be alternate cases, or separate hunts. So, enjoy this chapter, and there will be more to come. By the way, the scene with Dylan and Dean in the woods was written by Moon Bluewolf and revised/edited by me. So please do give her credit. :)**  
**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Heaven and Hell**

Sam stepped forward. "You want Anna? Why?" Briar put her head in her hand.

"Out of the way," Uriel demanded, stepping forward. Dean put a hand up.

"Whoa. Okay, I know she's wire tapping your angel chats or whatever. But it's no reason to gank her," Dean said, his eyes shifting between the two angels. Uriel grinned wickedly.

"Don't worry," he said, a violent twinge to his tone. "I'll kill her gentle."

"Well I'm sold," Dylan muttered. Dean stepped forward to push Dylan back.

"You're some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?" Dean stated. Castiel gave him a hard stare.

"As a matter of fact, we are," he answered. "And?" he brushed Dean's comment off. Sam scoffed.

"And Anna's an innocent girl," Sam defended. Both Dylan and Briar let out low snorts. Castiel turned his attention to the girls for a second before answering Sam.

"She is far from innocent," Castiel said, turning back to Sam. Both Dean and Sam gave questioning looks.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked him. Uriel stepped forward again.

"It means she's worse than this abomination you've been screwing," Uriel stated.

"Hey, I like her more than I like you, dude," Dylan said, raising her voice. Briar cast a short glare at her. Uriel set his shoulders.

"Give us the girl," he demanded.

"Sorry, get yourself another one," Dean stated, thinking for a second. "Try Jdate," he suggested. Uriel glared at him.

"Who's gonna stop us? You four?" Uriel asked. Briar raised her hand.

"Actually. Dylan and I are staying out of this," she said. Uriel turned his attention to Ruby.

"This demon whore, then?" he asked. Uriel picked Ruby up by the neck and tossed her into a far wall. Briar grabbed Dylan and pushed the two of them away from the fight. Dean turned and punched Uriel causing him to turn and attack Dean. Sam's focus was on Castiel as he approached.

"Cass, stop. Please," Sam pleaded. Castiel continued and put up two fingers to Sam's head, knocking him out with his powers. He reached the spare room and opened the door. There was a flash of white light. Briar watched as Castiel was flung up and through the ceiling, Uriel through the wall. Dean looked around him.

"What the?" he asked. He stood and turned to help Ruby up. "Come on," Dean said and they stood around Sam. Ruby knelt down beside the still unconscious figure as Dean turned to go check on Anna. "Anna?" Dean called out. Briar stared down at Sam and Ruby, Dylan by her side.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say she actually cares," Briar said. Sam stood with the help of Ruby and looked around him.

"What happened?" Sam asked the small group. Dylan looked at Briar.

"Uh, Cass knocked you out then Anna did a blood spell that sent the angels far, far away," Dylan explained. Briar nudged Dylan with her elbow. Sam turned his attention to the duo, his eyebrows surging together. "Never mind the last part," she amended. Sam turned to the back room to see Dean exiting, a strange expression on his face. He motioned for Sam to follow him and turned to walk off to a secluded corner.

"What happened?" Sam asked as Briar and Dylan stepped up beside them.

"She did a symbol on a mirror in blood," Dean began. Sam stayed quiet. "She said she didn't know how she did it, just that it popped into her head," Dean continued. He looked over at the girls. "What do you think?" Dean asked. Sam took a second to think.

"Anna's getting more interesting by the second," Sam said. Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I agree. And what did they mean by, 'she's not innocent'?" he asked. Briar stepped forward.

"We don't know much about the girl, and yet, she's dragging us down with her," Briar commented. Dean and Sam stared at Briar. "Just tell me you aren't thinking it," she defended. Sam shook his head.

"We're trying not to think it," Sam said. "It seems they want her bad, not just because of the angel radio thing. I mean, that blood spell? It's some serious crap, man," Sam said. Dylan let out a noise.

"As most things involving blood are," Dylan said. Dean nodded again.

"Something's going on with her. See what you can find out," Dean suggested to Sam. Briar arched an eyebrow.

"We suspicious of her now?" Briar asked. Dean sighed, and refused to say more.

"What are you going to do?" Sam asked Dean.

"Anna may have sent the angels to the outfield, but they're gonna be back. We gotta get ourselves safe, now," Dean explained. Sam sighed and nodded.

"Where do we go from here?" he asked. Dean glanced at Dylan who looked a tad angry, and Briar, who's face was blank.

"Demons want her more than the angels do right now. The best place for her is the panic room," Briar said reluctantly. The boys stared at her for a second.

"That's not a bad idea. Sammy, you think Ruby can whip up a hex bag to hide her from the angels?" Dean asked. Sam nodded and turned back to see Ruby bandaging up Anna's wrists. "We good on the plan then?" he asked the three before him.

"We smuggle the girls to Bobby's. We'll meet you there," Briar said. Dylan let out a low growl. "Everything will be fine. You guys just have to get back to your car," Briar added. She grabbed Dylan and turned to Ruby and Anna.

* * *

Dylan leaned back outside the panic room, her eyes on Briar. Briar was leaning back against the staircase railing, her eyes focused on Ruby. Dean knocked on one of the walls inside, explaining to Anna. "Iron walls drenched in salt. Demons can't even touch the joint," he explained. Ruby perked up.

"Which I find racist by the way," she said. Dylan snorted.

"Well, that would be because most demons are evil lying whores," Briar fired back. Ruby turned back to glare at her.

"Write to your congressman," Dean said. Ruby faced Dean again and mock snarled at him. She tossed something towards Dean.

"Hex bags?" Dean asked, earning a nod from Ruby.

"Extra-crunchy. Hide us from angels, demons, all comers," she explained. Dean accepted it.

"Thanks Ruby," he said then turned to Anna, "don't loose this. So, Anna, what's playing on angel radio? Anything useful?" Anna's eyes unfocused, staring off into space.

"It's quiet. Dead silence," she responded after a short while.

"Good. That's not troubling at all," Dean said, a hint of sarcasm leaking into his voice. Anna looked up at Dean.

"We're in trouble, huh?" Anna asked. Dylan stepped up in the doorway next to Ruby.

"Yeah, because of you," Dylan said, her glare on the girl. Anna gave her a small smile.

"You guys scared?" Anna asked. Dylan turned and walked back to Briar. Dean shook his head.

"Nah," he said. Anna opened her mouth to respond when Sam's voice sounded from upstairs.

"Hey Dean, Dylan, Briar," he called. Dean turned back to Anna.

"Just stay here, okay?" he asked Anna. He went to Ruby, "keep an eye on her," he told her then went to follow the other two girls upstairs. Dean looked over at Sam. "How's the car?" he asked. Briar stared blankly at him.

"You didn't drive the impala back?" Briar asked. Dean shook his head.

"I got her, she's fine," Sam said. He looked around him. "Where's Bobby?" he asked. Dean sighed.

"The Dominican. Said we break anything, we buy it," Dean answered. Sam's eyebrows knitted together.

"Is he working a job?" Sam asked. He brushed past a shelf full of books.

"Hope so. Otherwise, he's at Hedonism in a banana hammock and a trucker cap," Dean said. Sam and Dylan shuddered.

"Now, that's seared in my brain," Sam said. Dylan rubbed her eyes.

"Ditto, Sammy," Dylan said. She turned to Briar. "How are you not disturbed by that image?" Dylan asked. Briar shrugged.

"I've learned to block out images," she explained. "Back to the matter at hand," she said.

"Right. What'd you find on Anna?" Dean asked Sam. Sam nodded and flipped open a file folder.

"Uh, not much. Her parents were Rich and Amy Milton. A church deacon and a house wife," Sam explained.

"Riveting," Dean said. Briar nodded and rolled her eyes.

"Fucking fascinating," Briar added.

"Yeah, um. There is something here in the report. Turns out this latest psych episode wasn't her first. When she was two and a half, she'd get hysterical anytime her dad got close. She was convinced that her wasn't her real daddy," Sam said. Dean smirked.

"Who was? The plumber? Hmm? Little snaking the pipes? Heh," Dean suggested. Sam rolled his eyes and Briar snorted.

"Dude, you're confusing reality with porn again," Sam said. He shook his head and turned back to the file. "Look, Anna didn't say. She just kept repeating that this real father of hers was mad. Very mad. Like, wanted-to-kill-her mad," Sam added. Dylan leaned over Sam's shoulder looking at the file.

"Guess she wasn't exactly daddy's little girl," Dylan said. She went and sat down on the couch.

"Kind of heavy for a two year old," Dean said. Sam nodded.

"Well, she saw a kid's shrink, got better and grew up normal," Sam said. Dean looked over at Briar for a second.

"Until now," Dean said, shaking his head. "So, what's she hiding?" Dean asked.

"Why don't you just ask me to my face?" Anna demanded, standing in the doorway.

"Nice job watching her," Dean said to Ruby who was standing off to the side.

"I'm watching her," she shot back. Sam shook his head.

"No, you're right, Anna. Is there anything you wanna tell us?" Sam asked.

"About what?" Anna asked.

"The angels said you were guilty of something. Why would they say that?" Sam asked. Anna let out a huff of air.

"You tell me. Tell me why my life has been leveled," Anna said, her voice rising. "Why my parents are dead. I don't know," she said, her voice breaking. Briar stepped up beside Sam, anger tensing her shoulders.

"You have no right to bitch at us. I get that you're trying to mourn, but we're putting our asses on the line to help you," Briar shot off, putting Anna in her place.

"I wish I could tell you, I wish I knew," Anna said, backing down. Dean put a hand on Briar's arm.

"Briar, chill," Dean said. Sam cast a glance at the angry female beside him.

"Okay, let's find out," Sam said, turning back to Anna. Anna shifted under everybody's stare.

"How?" she questioned. Dean looked at Sam.

"We'll figure it out," Sam said and stepped forward to lead Anna back down to the panic room.

Dean turned to Briar, his gaze confused. "What was that all about?" he asked Briar. She turned away and settled herself next to Dylan on the couch.

"I know her life is complicated right now, but that doesn't mean ours isn't. I don't like this case. It's lose, lose with this one," Briar explained, putting her head in her hands. Dylan put her hand on Briar's back to comfort her.

"I understand what you're saying, but we can't just drop her and leave her to get captured or killed.," Dean answered. Briar nodded.

"Call up Pamela, see if she'll help," Briar said as she stood. "She should be able to get you the answers you need," with that, she stepped out of the house. Dean turned to Dylan.

"Is there anything you want to say?" Dean asked her. Dylan stared up at Dean as she thought about it.

"No, she said simply and followed Briar. Dean looked around the room waiting for Sam.

"Hey," Sam's voice interrupted Dean's thoughts. Dean turned to face his brother.

"Briar suggested we call Pamela," Dean relayed to him. Sam moved further into the room.

"That's not a bad idea, actually," he said.

* * *

Briar turned her attention from the book she was reading to look up at Dylan as she approached her. "History of Demons, huh? Didja snag that on your way out?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and snapped the book closed. "I understand why I'm pissy with Dean, what I don't understand is why you are," Dylan said, dropping right into what was on her mind. Briar tossed the book through the open window of their mustang.

"I'm being a hypocrite," she explained simply. "You care about Dean, but nobody's here to protect Sam. I don't like the idea of not warning him about Ruby," Briar explained. "I want to break my own rule, and that's what's got me in a short mood," she clarified. Dylan stared at her, waiting for her to let it all out. Briar took a deep breath. "I guess I'm also envious of Anna. She has people that believe her when I didn't," Briar said. Dylan stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Briar. Briar stood there motionless as Dylan hugged her before she moved away. Briar's attention turned to the house, causing Dylan's eyes to roam back to the structure as well. Dean made his way to them, his keys in hand.

"I'm going to get Pamela. Thanks for the suggestion," Dean said. He leaned against the driver door of the impala.

"No problem. You would have thought of it eventually," Briar said. Dean nodded.

"Sam's staying behind to keep an eye on Anna and Ruby. Do either of you want to go with me to pick up Pam?" Dean asked. Briar shook her head and glanced over at Dylan.

"I guess I will," she said, and hugged Briar one last time before getting in the passenger seat of Dean's car. Dean started the vehicle and rolled the window down to talk to Briar.

"Keep an eye on all of them. We'll be back soon," Dean said and rolled out of the driveway. Briar smiled and waved before making her way back into the house.

* * *

"Dean gone to get Pam?" Sam asked as Briar stepped down the stairs into the basement. Briar nodded and looked past him into the panic room.

"It's getting late. I was going to get some food. Any preferences?" she asked, her eyes landing on Ruby. "And blood is out of the question," Briar added, her eyes now back on Sam. Sam arched an eyebrow.

"Just some burgers would be fine. Is that okay with you Anna?" Sam asked.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," she answered. Briar nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey wait, take Ruby with you," Sam suggested. Briar turned back and stared blankly at him.

"I don't think that would be smart," she responded and left.

* * *

"Briar?" Dylan's voice echoed through the house. She entered the kitchen and smiled at her friend. "We're back," she said. Briar raised an eyebrow.

"Naw, you're still out to get Pamela," Briar fired back, sarcasm flooding her voice. Dylan rolled her eyes and walked out into the library.

"Sam and Ruby still in the panic room with Anna?" Dean asked as Briar followed Dylan. Briar nodded solemnly.

"Yep, been keeping her company. Little tip, Anna's not a big fan of bacon cheese burgers," Briar said and lead the way downstairs.

"We're here," Dean called down, leading Pamela and making sure she didn't fall.

"Pamela, hey," Sam said excitedly as he stepped up to greet her.

"Sam, is that you?" Pamela asked. Sam moved to stand in front of her.

"I'm right here," Sam said. Pamela put her hands on his face and smiled.

"Oh, know how I can tell?" Pamela asked. She moved her hand and slapped Sam's butt. "That perky little ass of yours. You could bounce a nickel off that thing," she answered. Briar rolled her eyes and moved to head upstairs, leaving Dylan to deal with the group.

* * *

It was a while before Dylan joined Briar in the library. Dylan watched as Briar flipped through a book before she joined her on the couch. "You hate Anna that much?" she asked.

"Heh, funny. Maybe," Briar answered. She flipped a few more pages.

"So what's up with you?" Dylan asked. Briar continued to flip through the book, considering her answer.

"I really don't want to be around Ruby. It's bad enough I have to be in the same residence as her," Briar said, shutting the book. Dylan nodded, dropping it.

"So, what are you reading?" Dylan asked. Briar lifted the cover to show Dylan. "A book on angels? I didn't think Bobby had any books on angels," Dylan commented. Briar shrugged and placed the book on the floor at her feet.

"I guess he went out and got them after Cass appeared," Briar said. She sighed and leaned back. "I don't even know why I was reading it. I already know everything I need or want to about angels," Briar said.

"Right, Anna's lost her grace, we find it, she's an angel again," Dylan said. Briar nodded and checked the time on her phone.

"Should be about time that we know that," Briar said. She turned to stare at the doorway as Dean entered, a hand covering his mouth.

"Anna's one of them, she's an angel," Dean said. Both Briar and Dylan stared blankly at him.

"Yeah, we knew," Dylan said flatly. Dean's eyebrows surged together.

"And you didn't tell us?" Dean questioned, his voice bordering on anger.

"We had to let you figure it out by yourself," Briar defended.

"You couldn't give us a clue?" he asked, his temper still flaring. Briar smirked.

"We've already told you we know everything about you. I assumed you would figure out that we know what's going to happen as well," Briar fired back, a dangerous calm about her. Dean turned away from her, his shoulders tensed.

"Arguing will get us nowhere," Dean said, the muscles in his back relaxing. "Is there anything else we need to know?" Dean asked. He turned and stared at the two on the couch. Briar fixed her stare on him, still deadly calm. She lifted an eyebrow, challenging him.

"All will reveal it's self in due time," Briar answered, causing Dylan to snicker, her face hidden behind the book Briar had been reading previously. Dean's eyes narrowed at her then he turned to Dylan.

"What are you giggling about?" Dean demanded. Dylan lowered the book, her face straight.

"Nothing," she said, then pulled the book back up. Dean turned to Briar.

"I'm getting damn tired of hearing that," Dean said. He wiped his hand across his face.

"Sorry Dean, there are certain things that we just can't tell you. As far as I know, we're technically not supposed to be here," Briar said. Dean sighed and nodded.

"Dean?" Sam called. A second later he appeared in the doorway with Ruby, Anna and Pamela behind him. "We need to figure out what our next move is," Sam said. Dean turned and leaned against the desk, Pamela taking the spot next to him, Sam planting himself next to her. Ruby leaned against the door jamb and watched Anna pace in the middle of the library.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not like the others," Anna explained. Ruby's eyes narrowed.

"I don't find that very reassuring," Ruby said. Anna stopped and stared at her.

"Neither do I," Pamela added in.

Anna let out a sigh bringing everyone's eyes back to her. "So, Castiel, Uriel, they're the ones that came for me?" she asked. Sam turned to her, disbelief written on his face.

"You know them?" he asked. Anna smiled at him.

"We were kinda in the same foxhole," she said. Dean leaned forward, his eyes intent.

"So, what were they, like, your bosses or something?" Dean asked.

"Try the other way around," Anna responded. Dean smirked at her.

"Look at you," he commented. Pamela cleared her throat.

"But now they wanna kill you?" she questioned, putting the conversation back on track.

"Orders are orders," Anna answered, "I'm sure I have a death sentence on my head."

"Why?" Pamela asked, an obvious, but needed question. Anna adopted a grim face.

"I disobeyed. Which, for us, is about the worst thing you can do. I fell," Anna explained.

"Meaning?" Dean prompted. Pam sighed.

"She fell to Earth, became human," Pamela filled in.

"Wait a minute, I don't understand. So angels can just become human?" Sam asked, causing Briar to roll her eyes.

"Obviously Sammy. You're staring at one," she piped in, standing from the couch.

Anna shifted and continued her pacing. "It kind of hurts. Try cutting your kidney out with a butter knife. That kind of hurt. I ripped out my grace," Anna said, her eyes not meeting anyone else's.

Dean scratched his chin before asking, "come again?" clearly confused.

"My grace. It's energy," Anna answered, "hacked it out and fell. My mother, Amy, couldn't get pregnant. Always called me her little miracle. She had no idea how right she was." Dean smirked, pleased with something.

"So you just forgot that you were God's little Power Ranger?" Dean asked, a smug undercurrent in his voice. Dylan scoffed.

"The older I got, the longer I was human, yeah," Anna said, ignoring Dean's reference. Ruby stepped forward.

"I don't think you appreciate how completely screwed with are," Ruby piped up, making herself known again. Anna sighed and nodded, "Ruby's right. Heaven wants me dead," she said.

"And hell just wants her. A flesh and blood angel that you van question, torture, that bleeds," Ruby said. She turned to Anna, "Sister, you're the Stanley cup. And sooner or later, heaven or hell, they're gonna find you." Anna sighed and looked down at the floor.

"I know, and that's why I'm gonna get it back," Anna said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"My grace," Anna said. Dean leaned forward.

"You can do that?" he asked. Anna nodded.

"If I can find it," she said.

"So what? You're just gonna take some divine bong hit, and shazam, you're Roma Downey?" Dean asked. Anna managed a weak smile.

"Something like that," she said. Briar sighed and moved to the kitchen, opting to ignore the rest of the conversation.

"All right. I like this plan. So where's this grace of yours?" Dean asked. Anna rolled her eyes up to the ceiling.

"Lost track. I was falling about ten thousand miles per hour at the time," Anna said. Dylan snorted.

"That would tend to make things complicated," Dylan piped in.

"Wait, you mean falling, like, literally?" Sam asked. Anna nodded affirmative. "Like the way a human eye can see? Like a comet, maybe, or a meteor?" he continued.

"Why do you ask?" Anna asked.

"He thinks he can find your grace based on the time you were conceived," Briar said from the kitchen, the tell-tale sign of a beer bottle opening following her comment. Pamela sighed.

"I've got to get back. This is too much for me," Pamela said, rising to her feet. Dean nodded and followed her out of the house, Dylan following behind him. Briar raised a beer bottle to them as they passed and made her way up the stairs to the room she had deemed her own.

* * *

Briar sighed as she drove the mustang, following after Dean's impala. Dylan had been quiet for a while, her breathing slow. Briar didn't bother to wake her up, her thoughts roaming around the inevitable. They were driving to a tree in the middle of a field that didn't even hold Anna's grace anymore. She watched the day dawn as they neared Union, Kentucky. Dylan shifted and woke on her own. "Morning, star-shine," Briar said dully.

"Still unhappy about all this, huh?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded, her eyes on the impala. Dean pulled off the pavement onto a dirt road

"Wish I could just kill the bitch," Briar said. Dylan frowned.

"Anna, or Ruby?" she asked. Briar glanced over at Dylan.

"Ruby," Briar said. Dean stopped on the border of a large meadow, and Briar pulled up behind him. She sighed and shut the car off, but stayed in her seat.

"Not in the mood to listen to the random crap?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and watched Dylan step out of the car into the field. As Briar knew, Anna got a feel of the tree, then they all turned back to the cars. Dean stopped by Briar's window and she rolled it down.

"Not there, huh?" she asked as Dylan slid back into the passenger seat. Dean shook his head, a frown on his face.

"We're gonna take lodge at a stable not far from here," he said, pointing up the road a bit to where it forked off. Briar nodded and started her car, pulling away and down the road off the path heading to the stable. She pulled up first, Dean pulling in after her and she pulled her duffel bag out of the back seat, shutting off the car and stepping out.

"Time to sleep the day away then figure out how to get out of this pile of shit," Briar said. She left the group confused as she entered the stable. Dylan shrugged when Dean and Sam turned eyes to her before she followed Briar.

* * *

Briar was sleeping peacefully until Ruby's screeching cut across her dream, "Oh you call that thinking?" the girl shot at Dean. Briar rolled her eyes and sat up, groggy, and rubbing her eyes. Dylan held a can wordlessly in front of her face and Briar accepted the energy drink gratefully.

"Anna's grace is gone. You understand? She can't angel up, she can't protect us. We can't fight heaven and hell. One side, maybe, but not both, not at once," Ruby complained. Briar growled lowly, taking a swig from the can, her energy level rising. Anna piped in, distracting Ruby and Dean from their argument.

"It's weird, like a recording, a loop. It says, 'Dean Winchester gives us Anna by midnight or..." Anna trailed off. Dean looked nervous.

"Or what?" he asked.

"Or we hurl him back to damnation," Anna replied. Dylan moved from Briar's side and up to Anna.

"Oh HELL no. There is no way Dean is getting sent back to hell because of your skinny, pathetic ass," Dylan quipped. Dean put a hand on Dylan's shoulder, pulling her away from Anna before she could harm the other girl.

"Anna, do you know of any weapon that works on an angel?" Sam asked, placing himself between Dylan and the other girl.

"To what? To kill them?" Anna asked. Sam nodded at her and Anna frowned. "Nothing we could get to, not right now," she said. Briar sighed and stood from her makeshift bed.

"Anna's right, we've got nothing right now," Briar said, taking another swig of the caffeine. Dean frowned.

"I say we call Bobby. We get him back from hedonism," Dean suggested. Sam sighed and shook his head.

"Dean, what's he gonna tell us that we don't already know?" Sam asked. Dean shrugged and started pacing a bit.

"I don't know, but we've got to think of something," he said.

* * *

Briar sat across the fire from Dylan, her eyes locked on the other girl. Briar was aware of what could be happening right now, in the dark, in the impala. Dylan looked incredibly upset, and Briar was hoping it wasn't for the reasons she thought it could be. Finally, Dylan sighed.

"I'm going to go find Dean. It's useless for us to just sit here wringing our hands," Dylan said. Briar stood up, but she didn't have the heart to stop her friend. She watched Dylan leave the barn, determined.

* * *

Dylan approached the impala, the windows steamed up, and a dreadful feeling made her heart sink to her toes. She stood a ways back and watched Dean step out of the back seat and put his shirt back on, Anna sitting up in the back of the car. Dylan stepped back, her foot snapping a branch and catching Dean's attention. Dylan turned, unable to face Dean and ran into the only shelter she could see through the tears blurring her vision, the woods.

"Dylan!" Dean called into the woods after her. Dylan slowed her pace to a walk, and even though she could still hear him, she kept walking, the anger and frustration not allowing her to stop. She finally turned to face him and crossed her arms over her chest. She glared at him, her eyes nearly as dark and cold as Briar's.

"_What,_ Dean?" she asked him, sighing. He looked at her, his brows knitted together.

"Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but now isn't exactly the time..."

"I think you know exactly what's going on, you just don't care," Dylan spat, cutting Dean off. She let out a humorless laugh. "You really haven't figured it out yet?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. She switched her weight to her other foot and stood there, fuming.

"We don't have time for this, we have to get back to Anna," Dean said, and turned to walk away. He stopped when he heard Dylan scoff. He turned back to look at her.

"There it is, time it ladies and gents, it too a whole _two_ minutes for the 'A' word to rear her ugly head," Dylan said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asked her, his voice becoming angry. Dylan ran her hands through her hair. Dean stepped closer to her. She took a few steps back, not wanting to be anywhere near him. "What does that mean, Dylan, huh? You wanna give Anna up to the angels?" he asked her. She looked into his eyes to see anger staring her in the face.

"I'd actually rather give her up to Alistair," she said, her voice rivaling that of Briar's. Dylan stepped back again and turned to walk away. Dean reached out and grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back to face him.

"We're not done here, you don't get to walk away," he said. He looked into her eyes and searched for the young, innocent girl he'd saved, but all he could see was a deep sadness and a slight mirror of Briar's temper and violence. Dylan broke his gaze and jerked her arm out of his grip.

"Really Dean? I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet," she said, her voice so quiet he had to lean closer to hear.

"Figured out what? What haven't I figured out yet? Would you mind telling me, 'cause I'm obviously clueless," he said. He couldn't manage to raise his voice over hers. Frustrated, she turned away, punching at a tree closest to her. She cradled her wounded fist to her chest then turned back to Dean, the fire back in her eyes.

"I LIKE YOU, DEAN! Is it really that hard to see?" Dylan asked, waving her uninjured hand in the air. "Have I not been sending out the right signals?" she asked him. He took a few steps back like he'd been shocked, and stared down at the ground.

"That's why you've been such a bitch lately? Towards Anna, towards me?" he asked her. She nodded without looking at him. Dylan sighed and stepped closer to Dean.

"Knowing the future is a curse when you can't do anything to stop it," Dylan said, more to herself. She walked past Dean a ways, in the direction of the stable before she stopped short, "You better get back to angel girl, she'll be wondering where you've gone off to." With that, Dylan walked away, massaging the feeling back into her hand.

Dean stood there stunned. He couldn't think of anything to say that would make Dylan feel any better, so he turned and followed Dylan's path out of the woods and back to the impala where Anna was waiting, concerned.

* * *

Briar shot up when Dylan showed up in the stable, her hand clutched to her chest. "What the hell happened to you?" Briar asked as she fussed over the wound. Dylan pushed her aside and sat down next to Sam.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Dylan said. Briar sat next to Dylan and glared at her.

"You can't pull that one on me. I invented that line," Briar said. She pulled Dylan's hand into her lap and began bandaging it, not bothering to ask her for more details. She could guess at what was bother Dylan now. When Briar was done, Dylan turned over, her back to the fire and drifted off. Sam looked at Briar, curious.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked. Briar shook her head and moved to her spot, opting to sleep as well.

"Just get some rest, Sam, you'll need it," she said. She was awake when she heard Ruby leaving the barn, knowing full well the end of this was close at hand.

* * *

Briar woke to see Dylan had disappeared and Dean and Anna had moved back into the stable. "Any idea where Dylan went?" Dean asked, opening a bottle he had stashed in his bag.

"I don't know man, Where's Ruby?" Sam asked. Dean shrugged and poured himself a glass.

"Hey, she's your hell buddy," Dean said and took a drink. Anna smirked as she sat down next to him.

"It's two am somewhere," Dean said. Anna frowned.

"You okay?" she asked him. Briar snorted and walked away from the group. Leaning against the wall, she watched the door. It wasn't long before Castiel and Uriel showed face. Dylan was smart to have avoided all of this. She didn't think her friend could take the stress of this after what she had already been through. Briar stepped out the back way, her bag on her shoulder, making a quick and silent exit for the end of the battle. They didn't need her here anymore. Briar's phone buzzed, a text from Dylan.

_Meet me at meadow, have mustang, time to split. _Briar smirked and hiked her way back to the opening where Dylan sat leaning against the car. Briar smiled at her, earning a frown in return.

"You gonna be okay?" Briar asked. Dylan nodded and moved to step back into the driver's seat. Briar dropped her bag into the trunk and got in the passenger seat. The girls drove away from the current fight, the boys, and Dylan's frustrations. "You know we can't just drop off the face of the earth," Briar said. Dylan nodded, still not ready to talk. Briar sighed and turned the music up, her eyes going to the landscape outside her window.

"Bobby called and offered us another case," Dylan finally said. Briar nodded and let Dylan continue to drive.


	8. Overcoming Anger

**Author's Note:** So, yeah. Two chapters in one night/morning. And you all (well those that read this) have Moon Bluewolf to blame. I was gonna wait to start this, but we just started talking and there were just too many ideas to waste. WARNING, there is A LOT of CUSSING in this chapter, along with a lot of yelling, and quite a bit of dramatics. Also, I think it's safe to say that smart-ass Briar amuses the hell out of me. And pissy Dylan is fun to piss off. So, enjoy the crack-tastic ness of this chapter despite the lack of crack. o.O Plot disguised as crack, imagine that. Next chapter depends on MOON!**  
**

* * *

Briar sighed and dropped her shovel in the trunk after Dylan did. They had just finished their third case in a row and Briar was beginning to wonder if Dylan would ever get over whatever she had seen that made her so horribly angry at Dean that she avoided all his calls and texts. Dean had tried to get to Dylan through Briar, to which the latter had warned him that talking to Dylan would get him nowhere until the other girl had calmed down. It wasn't like Dylan to just keep all this anger inside of her, and it was making Briar concerned.

Briar moved to the driver's seat of the mustang and got in beside Dylan and started the car. Briar had lost track of time, and where they were. She had just followed the cases. She pulled away from the graveyard and on to a main road. "There's been a couple of disappearances in Grayson, Oklahoma. A Couple of big shots," Dylan said, flipping through a couple of newspapers. Briar sighed and tossed the GPS to Dylan.

"Let's get moving then. We sleep before we start on the case, though." Briar said. Dylan nodded and put in the coordinates. Briar drove a ways before she decided it was best that Dylan needed to vent. "Dude, you gotta let it out sometime," Briar said. Dylan turned to look at her, her face blank.

"Let what out?" Dylan asked. Briar sighed, her eyes on the road.

"Dylan, you can't keep doing this to yourself. This isn't you. I know you're mad at Dean, and I know that you're letting it consume you. I can't keep making sure you're okay when we've got cases to do. We either stop hunting long enough for you to get over this, or you get over it on your own," Briar said. Dylan shook her head.

"I'm not mad at Dean. I couldn't be mad at him," Dylan said. Briar thumped the steering wheel with her hand.

"BULL SHIT, Dylan. I know you," Briar said. Dylan stayed quiet. "You're mad at Dean because he's an idiot. You and I both know that he's not getting any smarter any time soon." Dylan snorted at that comment. "See? If you weren't mad, you'd fight me on that insult," Briar pointed out. Dylan sighed.

"I'm not mad, _okay?_" Dylan said. Briar shook her head.

"Bull shit," she said under her breath. Dylan took in a deep breath.

"I AM NOT mad, and the next time you insist that I am, I'm going to start throwing punches, and I won't care who or what I hit," Dylan said. Briar smirked at her.

"You are so angry," Briar said. Dylan turned and punched Briar on the shoulder, making the other girl let out a quiet grunt. "Thanks for not hitting me in the face," Briar said sarcasm streaking her voice as she rubbed the sore spot on her shoulder with her free hand. "Dylan, despite the fact that you're trying to hide it, it's actually quite obvious," Briar said. Dylan turned and hit her in the shoulder again, not bothering to answer. "DAMNIT DYLAN! The next time you hit me I'm by God gonna pull this car over and beat your ass!" Briar yelled at her. Dylan sat with her arms crossed over her chest, her hands balled into fists. "Oh, how very childish of you," Briar said. When Dylan continued to stay silent, Briar jerked the car off onto the shoulder and turned the engine off. "We're not going anywhere until you vent," Briar said. Dylan shot a glare at Briar and opened the door. She got out and slammed it closed and proceeded to walk along the road.

Briar sighed and got out of the car as well. "It's too cold for you to be hitch hiking in a mini skirt, stupid!" Briar yelled. Dylan flipped her off and continued. "Alright, fine, freeze your ass off, I don't care!" Briar yelled to her again. Briar's phone rang with Sam's ringtone and she picked it up. "Yeah, Sam, what's up?" Briar said, her voice relaying her frustration.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, obviously distracted by Briar's tone.

"Dylan's still pissed," Briar said, shaking her head. "What did you need?" Briar asked, her eyes still on Dylan as she walked away.

"Dean disappeared with Cass and Uriel," Sam said. "Is Dylan okay?" he asked. Briar sighed.

"She won't be as soon as I get my hands on her. You've got Dean's MIA under control right? I've got Dylan to take care of," Briar said. Sam sat silently for a second.

"Don't kill her, okay. I just thought she'd like to know," Sam said. Briar sighed again.

"That Dean's in mental turmoil what with torturing Alistair. Wish him luck for me, but Dylan's not concerned about Dean right at this moment," Briar said. She paused before, "and Sammy, be careful," Briar said before clicking her phone shut. She got back in the car and started it, driving to where Dylan was walking, hunched over herself trying to keep herself warm.

"I don't want to talk to you," Dylan seethed through chattering teeth. Briar snorted and parked the car.

"But you will," Briar said. She got out and leaned against the car, the driver door still open. "I," Briar started, unsure of what to tell Dylan. "Sam's concerned about you too," Briar said. Dylan stopped and walked back to the mustang.

"What does he care?" Dylan snapped. Briar smiled and looked down at the paint.

"More than you know. Dylan, this is stupid," Briar said. "Let it out. Look, dude, go shoot a freaking cow for all I care," Briar said, pointing off into the field where the dark, but unmistakeable form of a cow stood, minding it's own business.

"Why should I shoot a cow? It didn't do anything to me?" Dylan snapped, still angry. Briar sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine, your right. Go shoot Dean, then," Briar said. Dylan glared at Briar.

"I'm not shooting Dean," Dylan said.

"Okay, so you do still like him. Anna then?" Briar suggested. Dylan didn't say anything, meaning she was actually thinking about it. "Dude, you can't kill Anna. Not yet anyway," Briar said. She motioned to the passenger door. "The heats on and cranked up. Get in and we can _talk_ about it. There's no need to hit me," Briar said, her eyes narrowing at her last comment. Dylan snorted but got back in the car. "I still got it," Briar said to herself and got back in the driver's seat, putting the car back on the road again.

* * *

Briar pulled into the first motel they came across as they they entered Oklahoma. Briar was grateful the drive wasn't that long. Despite the fact that Briar wanted to talk, Dylan had stayed silent the entire ride. Briar didn't say anything as she dropped her bag on one bed, grabbed a change of clothes and went into the shower. If Dylan wanted to ignore her, Briar would ignore right back. Dylan stood outside the bathroom, a frown on her face as she held her clothes to change into. Dylan sat on the edge of her bed and flipped through channels as Briar took her time in the bathroom.

"Briar, hurry the fuck up!" Dylan called into the bathroom as she banged on the door. Briar opened the door quickly and moved past Dylan as if she wasn't even there. "Seriously Bri? What the hell is wrong with you now?" Dylan demanded. Briar continued to ignore her, digging through her bag for her gun. She moved the bag to the floor and plopped down on her bed and switched the channel. Dylan moved to stand in front of the TV but Briar just kept staring at where the screen would be. "Briar, enough," Dylan said, her tone demanding attention. Briar's eyes finally moved to Dylan's face.

"You done being a child now?" Briar asked. Dylan frowned.

"This still?" Dylan asked. Briar sat up and crossed her legs on the middle of the bed.

"Dude, I'm not going to let this go until you vent like I know you need to," Briar said. Dylan raised an eyebrow.

"So you're going to act like a bigger child than I am," Dylan said. Briar smirked and nodded.

"Yup. You can't outwit the master," Briar said. Dylan frowned deeper and moved to the bathroom with her clothes to shower. "I'm not going to let you forget about this. You don't get to escape," Briar called to her, her eyes back on the TV. It wasn't long before she heard Dylan cursing up a storm and Briar let a full blown grin cross her face. She moved to to stand in front of the door. "By the way, I screwed the window shut," Briar called through the door. Dylan's cursing rose in pitch. Briar leaned against the door jamb and waited.

Dylan pounded on the door, hoping it would startle Briar, which it didn't. "Can't you just leave me the fuck alone?" Dylan screamed at her. Briar shook her head.

"Nope. It's physically impossible," Briar said. Dylan hit the door again and again. Briar placed a hand to the door and frowned. "Dylan, I gave you the chance to get out," Briar said, trying to fuel her anger on. "I told you this would happen. I knew that it would be this part of Dean that would make you hurt this much," Briar said, an edge of sympathy seeping in. Dylan stopped hitting the door. After a few minutes, she opened it and looked up at Briar, her eyes narrowed.

"Fuck you," Dylan said. Dylan moved to her bed and pulled the covers over her, her back to Briar. Briar frowned.

"Well, I don't really swing that way," Briar said. Dylan growled but otherwise didn't acknowledge her. Briar, pleased with the bit of progress she had made, moved her gun under her pillow and turned over and went to sleep herself, the keys to the mustang clutched tightly in her hand.

* * *

Briar woke to Dylan pacing the room as she packed her things. Briar sat up and yawned, scratching her head. "I guess we're making an early start then," Briar said. Dylan whirled on her.

"Could you for once, _not_ be sarcastic?" Dylan quipped. Briar smirked at her.

"You're asking for the end of the world, there, Dylan," Briar said and stood. She tucked the keys into her pocket and put her gun back in her bag, zipping it up and moving to the door, Dylan hot on her heels. Briar stopped the car at a diner before they left the city and got a couple cups of coffee to go. While they were on the road, Dylan went back to being silent, and Briar was tired of it. "Dude, you gotta talk to me," Briar said.

"No I don't," Dylan answered. Briar sighed and rolled her eyes.

"This is going to be an awfully boring trip then," Briar said. Dylan sighed.

"What do you want to talk about?" Dylan asked, giving in since Briar wouldn't give up. Briar smirked.

"What do you think I want to talk about?" Briar asked. Dylan hit the dashboard.

"I'm not mad at him!" Dylan yelled, her eyes wide. Briar rolled her eyes.

"You keep saying that, but it doesn't make it any truer," Briar said. Dylan growled at her. "Denial isn't just a river in Egypt," Briar added.

"Dude, I'm not going to vent," Dylan shot back causing Briar to sigh.

"Not venting is unhealthy for you for one, and two, what the hell do you think that was last night? Coughing up rainbows and butterflies?" Briar pointed out. Dylan snorted at her.

"So what? You're trying to con me into venting?" Dylan asked. Briar let out a laugh and shook her head.

"I'm not trying, dear. It's actually working. The more I get you to argue about this with me, the less you'll be keeping it in. You just, Dyl, you've got to let this out or else it's going to consume you," Briar said. Dylan looked over at her as Briar's tone went serious. "Take this from someone who's let her anger consume her. You don't want to go there," Briar said, her eyes locked on the road.

"You're just trying to help me, I know," Dylan said. Briar could feel the change in demeanor in her friend.

"As I always am," Briar said, smiling now. Briar turned to look at Dylan. "You able to actually focus on the case a bit more now?" Briar asked. Dylan nodded, despite the turmoil still coiling around inside her. "Good," Briar said.

* * *

Briar checked them into a hotel and dropped her bag on her bed. She pulled her FBI clothes out and headed to the bathroom, pausing at the door. "Why don't you stay here, mrs. anti-social, and do some research while I got chat with the viccies?" Briar asked. Dylan nodded and set her bag on her own bed, pulling out her laptop. Briar moved into the bathroom to change and stepped out in her best suit.

"I still can't get over how strange you look in professional wear," Dylan said, sitting down and powering on her laptop. Briar rolled her eyes as she grabbed her phone.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Briar said and left with the keys in hand. Briar drove to the first victim's house and rang the bell. A woman answered, her eyes rimmed in red.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked. Briar gave her a fake sympathetic smile and held up her badge.

"My name is Agent Cade Reed, and I'm looking into the recent disappearances in this town," Briar said. The woman nodded and opened the door wider.

"How can I help you?" the woman asked. Briar stepped in and looked around the foyer. Briar was led into a small sitting room and offered a seat on a chase lounge.

"What is your relationship to Mr. Evans?" Briar asked, sitting. The woman smiled weakly at her and dabbed her eyes with a crumpled tissue.

"He was my husband," the woman, now dubbed Mrs. Evans said. Briar nodded and took out a small notebook, scribbling a note into it.

"Mrs. Evans," Briar started, looking up at her.

"Call me Lisa," she interrupted. Briar gave her another smile.

"Lisa, have you noticed anything strange about your husband before he disappeared?" Briar asked. At the confused face Mrs. Evans made, Briar decided to continue, "Any changes in behavior. Was he trying to hide anything from you?" Briar asked. Lisa Evans bowed her head, thinking.

"Um, he was a little nervous. He kept saying that someone was following him," Mrs. Evans said. Briar nodded and wrote in her notebook again.

"Anything else?" Briar asked. Mrs Evans shook her head and dabbed at her eyes again.

"No, I don't think so," she said. Briar nodded. She looked up at Mrs. Evans again.

"This one is going to be a bit difficult," Briar warned. "What was he like before he started going," Briar paused, trying to find the least offensive word, "strange?" Mrs. Evans sniffled.

"Uhm. He was a bit prestigious. He worked hard and often. He said it was to keep food on the table and keep me happy. Truth be told, I think he loved his work more than he did his family," Mrs. Evans said. Briar nodded.

"Was he at the top of the ladder? Like, a boss of the bosses?" Briar asked. Mrs. Evan's hiccuped and nodded. "How was he to other people Mrs," Briar stopped, changing her last word, "Lisa?" she asked. Mrs. Evans looked over at a picture of her missing husband.

"Well, he didn't like company much," she answered. Briar nodded again. "He wasn't much for entertaining," she said, a hint of humor in her voice as she looked up at Briar. "What does all this have to do with his disappearance?" she asked. Briar sighed.

"I'm profiling the missing people, seeing if they have anything in common," Briar explained. Mrs Evans nodded. "Well, Lisa, I think that's about it," Briar said. She pulled a card from her pocket and handed it to the woman. "Call me if you think of anything, and I mean anything, that could be of use to the investigation," Briar said, standing. Mrs. Evans stood and showed Briar to the door. Briar sighed and pocketed her notebook, walking back to the mustang. She dialed Dylan's number and waited for her to answer.

"Yeah?" Dylan answered finally after several rings. Briar narrowed her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Briar asked. Dylan cleared her throat.

"Nothing, dude. What do you need?" Dylan asked. Briar could hear a hint of pain in the other girls voice, and it didn't sit right with Briar.

"Uh, what's the name of the other victim. I need an address," Briar said, leaving it alone for the moment. Dylan gave her the address and Briar thanked her, hanging up. She sighed and got back in the mustang and drove off to her next destination.

* * *

Briar stepped out of the second house and sighed. She sat heavily in the driver's seat of the mustang and put her head in her hands. From what she had heard, both victims had been jerks, assholes, dicks even. She knew already where this could be leading, she just had to be sure. She pulled out her phone and hesitated on Dylan's number, not entirely sure she wanted to make that call again. Sighing, she hit send and waited for Dylan to answer. The other girl picked up sooner than she had last time. "What is it now?" Dylan asked, her tone clipped. Briar could tell her anger was building back up.

"The location where each of the victims disappeared, if it's not too much," Briar said, still ignoring Dylan's mood. She would deal with it later. Dylan gave her the addresses once again and hung up, obviously not in the mood for conversation. Briar sighed again and rolled her eyes. "Nice talking to you too, dude," Briar muttered and turned the mustang on, heading in the direction of the first disappearance.

* * *

Briar sat in her car, the evidence she had found sitting in her lap. She knew now what she was facing, it was all just a matter of telling Dylan. She didn't know how her friend would react to the news, so she would wait to decide her manner of action until she got a feel for Dylan's mood. Briar stuffed the candy wrappers under her seat and headed for a nearby restaurant. She ordered something other than her usual for herself and Dylan before making her way back to the hotel room. "Hey, dude," Briar said as she stepped into the room, bag in hand. Dylan was facing away from her, clicking away on her computer. "I brought food," Briar added, setting the bag on the table near where Dylan sat. The other girl looked up at her, and Briar could tell in an instant that Dylan had been crying.

"I'm not hungry," Dylan said, turning back to the screen. Briar sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You sure? It's baked potatoes," Briar said, still offering. She knew anything that would remind Dylan of Dean would set her off, and that Dylan did need a break from the teasing. Dylan didn't say anything, instead, her stomach growled. Briar pulled out one of the containers and passed it over with a fork on top and a small container of sides. "Eat when you get hungry then. I think I'm gonna go get a beer or something. Just call if you need anything," Briar said. Dylan nodded and Briar left again, leaving her food behind. She had to get Dylan to vent it all out instead of suffering through each layer of her emotions slowly.

Briar stopped at a convenience store and picked up a few candy bars before heading off in search of her target. She walked around the park for a while before she ran into a man that looked terribly paranoid. "Sir, what's wrong?" Briar asked him. He shot a glance behind him as he clutched his briefcase to his chest.

"There's someone following me," the man answered. Briar frowned.

"Could you describe him for me?" Briar asked. The man gulped and managed a nod. He gave her a pretty vivid description of what she already knew the trickster to look like. She thanked him and let him go on his way before she followed the path he had just left. She stopped when she heard laughter before the crunch of candy being chewed. She rounded the corner and landed eyes on the man she was after. "Well, that was easy," Briar said aloud, earning the man's attention. He whirled on her.

"Pardon?" he asked. Briar smiled at him.

"I've been looking for you," Briar said. The trickster made a weird face at her.

"Do I know you?" he asked. Briar shook her head.

"Not yet, but I know you," she said, and dug into her jacket pocket. The trickster looked about ready to flee. "Wait!" Briar called as he turned. She held out a rather large candy bar, her peace offering to him. "I need your help, Trickster," Briar said, careful to call him by the correct name. He looked at her, still clearly not convinced.

"Why should I help you?" he asked. Briar sighed.

"Gabe, just," Briar stopped, realizing her mistake. He stopped and turned to face her entirely.

"How do you know that name?" he asked. Briar sighed.

"It's a long story, one that I would love to sit down and tell you some time, but now's not it," Briar said. She held the candy bar out again. "Just please hear me out?" she begged. Gabriel, now no longer wary of her stepped close enough to take the candy bar.

"You've got five minutes," he said. Briar pulled out another candy bar and handed it to him. "Ten minutes," Gabriel amended.

"I've got a friend that, she's not in the best of moods right now, and I think you can help me to get her to vent it all out," Briar started. Gabe stood quietly munching on a candy bar. "Really, I'm a hunter, and by all means I should be here to kill you," Briar said. This frightened Gabriel again. "But I like you too much for that. I just, I would like your help in this then you're free to go," Briar said, her eyes showing her weariness. Gabriel stopped chewing on the candy bar and looked at her.

"You'd spare my life?" he asked. Briar nodded, running a hand over her face.

"Any day of the week, hun," she said. Gabriel smiled at her.

"Down to pet names already, I think I like you," he said back.

"Great. Does that mean you'll help?" Briar asked. Gabriel just smiled at her.

* * *

Briar sighed and opened the door to the hotel room, expecting the worst from Dylan. She found the other girl curled up on her bed, her eyes on the TV screen. Briar noticed that the food she had left behind had been eaten and discarded, or just discarded. "Did you eat?" Briar asked, now currently grateful she had stopped to get herself some food on the way back after her conversation with Gabriel.

"Yeah," Dylan said. Briar sighed and went to change. She dropped back on her bed when she was done and watched the show Dylan had turned the TV to.

"Be grateful it wasn't bacon cheeseburgers," Briar said, under her breath. She wasn't expecting the pillow that flew across the room and smacked her in the head. "Sorry, you weren't supposed to hear that," Briar said louder this time.

"But I did. And I'm sick of you just trying to piss me off more," Dylan said. Briar smirked.

"Wow, congratulations," Briar said.

"What for?" Dylan asked.

"For finally admitting you were angry to begin with," Briar said. Dylan threw another pillow, this time missing Briar all together. "No need to get snippy. You're well on your way to recovering," Briar said. Dylan ignored her and shut the TV off, plunging the room into both darkness and silence at the same time. "By the way, I think I might have found something. I'd like you to come with me to the site of one of the disappearances to get your input," Briar said.

"So you're actually going to let me be of assistance on this case despite the fact that I am so obviously PMSing?" Dylan asked. Briar snorted.

"So that's why you're so pissy. Got it," Briar said, earning yet another pillow throw. "You keep that up, Dyl and you won't have any pillows left," Briar said, tossing Dylan's pillows back at her. Dylan just grumbled and went quiet. Briar sighed and rolled her eyes laying down to sleep as well.

* * *

When morning dawned Briar woke up to her or Dylan's phone ringing. Dylan shot up and answered it, yelling into the mic. "If you hadn't gotten the message, I have no desire to talk to you now or ever again. LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!" she screamed and hung up. Briar blinked, confused by the sudden outburst. Dylan snapped the phone shut and tossed it back onto the nightstand. After a short moment, Briar's phone started playing a country song, Bobby's ringtone. Briar sat up and answered it, a sneaking suspicion rising in the back of her mind.

"What's wrong with Dylan?" Bobby asked as soon as the line connected, not giving Briar enough time to greet him.

"Uh, what?" Briar asked, still stunned.

"Is everything okay over there?" Bobby asked. Briar's eyes went to Dylan who had laid back down facing away from her.

"Peachy, why?" Briar asked.

"Well, I just got yelled at by Dylan when I tried to call her phone," Bobby said. Then it clicked and Briar couldn't help but laugh.

"If that's Dean and you're being nice to him, so help me Briar, I will shoot you in the face," Dylan piped up, not bothering to turn over. Briar cracked up laughing more.

"Are you okay?" Bobby asked from the line.

"Yeah, sorry Bobby, that was just hysterical," Briar said.

"What was?" Bobby asked. Briar sighed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Dylan thought you were Dean when you called her phone, thus why she yelled at you," Briar said, loud enough for Dylan to hear. Dylan didn't say anything. "She's also going ice queen on me," Briar added.

"FUCK YOU!" Dylan said, still not turning to face her. Briar stood and clicked on the light, making sure Dylan couldn't go back to sleep.

"I take it she's not too happy with you right now," Bobby said.

"Yeah, so what did you want?" Briar asked.

"I've got a case for ya," Bobby said. Briar sighed and shook her head, despite Bobby not being able to see her.

"Sorry Bobby, we've got one already," Briar said.

"I'll find some other hunters to give this to, then. Probably for the best. Demon attack. The family would like their daughter back alive, not," he paused, probably thinking back to Dylan yelling at him. "Hacked to pieces," Bobby finished. Briar nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for the offer. See you soon Bobby," Briar said. She waited for his parting words then hung up. "Next time we see Bobby, you need to give him an apology," Briar said to Dylan. The other girl didn't answer. "Alright, kiddo, time to get up. We've got work to do," Briar said. She went to dress in casual wear, and exited the bathroom for Dylan to do the same.

* * *

Briar drove quietly to the site of the most recent abductions, a smirk on her face the entire way. She parked outside the now abandoned factory and gathered demon hunting gear. Dylan followed suit, and every time her eyes landed on Briar, she would shoot her a glare. "There's something you're not telling me," Dylan said finally as she stopped in front of her, preventing Briar from going into the factory.

"What makes you say that?" Briar asked? Dylan glared harshly at her.

"You haven't tried to piss me off the entire ride here," Dylan said. Briar shrugged.

"I'm tired, dude, piss yourself off," Briar said, shoving Dylan aside with her shotgun. Dylan growled at her but followed anyway.

"So what are we fighting?" Dylan asked, changing the subject. Briar shrugged and picked open the lock on the door. She opened it and stood aside for Dylan to enter, shutting the door behind her. Briar sighed and locked the door back before moving to sit and wait it all out in the mustang. Dylan turned when the door closed and she didn't see Briar's figure in the dark. "Briar?" Dylan called, concerned.

"The door closed on me, I'll find another way in," Briar's voice called from the darkness near the door. Dylan sighed and switched on her flashlight before moving forward. She took a few uneasy steps into the room and stopped when she heard a shuffling noise.

"Briar?" Dylan called. She got no response. "Briar, if you're playing a trick on me," Dylan called into the darkness. She rounded a corner into another room, this one full of lockers. "I'm not falling for the cat trick either," Dylan said. She sighed and moved the flashlight around the room, stopping when it flashed over a body hunched over another mass. It turned and hissed at her and Dylan ran in the opposite direction. She stopped when she reached a different room and put her back to the wall, her gun aimed high. The figure stepped into the room and laughed. It was female, about twenty, and it's eyes, it's eyes were solid black. Dylan fired her weapon and the demon flinched, hunching over it's wound. It stood back up and laughed again.

"Poor helpless little girl, so lost in the dark without her knight in shinning armor," the demon said.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Dylan yelled at it.

"Dean, what else would I be talking about? Oh, and that little angel whore. All the demons are talking about it. The abomination of heaven, and heaven's savior. Isn't that a little odd?" the demon asked. Dylan was growing angry. She dropped her flashlight and gripped her gun with both hands, firing into the demon's gut. It jerked from the blow and gurgled a bit before standing back up. "Your knight's armor is tainted, little girl, and you don't like seeing just how tainted," the demon said, taking a few steps closer. Tears streaked to Dylan's eyes now.

"I said, fuck. You," Dylan said. She reloaded her gun and fired twice more, hitting the demon in different spots. It's laugh came pained now.

"You can't kill me. No, you have to have help. Big sister Briar, or would you prefer Dean? The man that doesn't even consider you woman enough for a one night stand," the demon said. Dylan dropped to her knees and clutched her head, the tears flowing freely now.

"SHUT UP!" Dylan screeched. The demon laughed again, that cruel malicious laugh.

"You're not capable of killing anything, not even a fly. Maybe that's why Dean doesn't want you, because you're weak," the demon said.

"NO! I'm NOT WEAK!" Dylan yelled. The demon produced a knife and tossed it on the floor next to Dylan.

"PROVE it!" the demon yelled at her. "Kill me, try, just try," the demon said. Dylan picked up the knife and clutched it tightly in her hands. "You can run back to him and tell him that you're a murder now, that you killed and felt the blood running over your hands," the demon said.

"You sadistic BITCH!" Dylan screamed, standing. She plunged the knife into the demon's chest, it's eyes going wide before they changed color, going to a bright, once vivid green, the light now fading. The face changed too, into one that had been haunting Dylan. "Anna," Dylan said, letting the body fall to the floor. "What did I do?" Dylan asked her self.

"Dylan?" a male's voice called. Dylan knelt by Anna's body, the blood running over her hands, the feel of it sickening. Dylan turned and saw Dean's stunned face. "Dyl, what did you do?" Dean asked her, looking at her, a deep horror striking his features.

"Dean, I'm sorry, I didn't" Dylan tried, fresh tears overflowing in rivers down Dylan's cheeks.

"You're a monster," Dean said. He shook his head. Dylan stood and tired to move closer.

"I was angry, and she provoked me, she said you would never want me, because I was weak," Dylan said. Dean stepped away from her, and back into the darkness. Dylan cried, dropping to her knees. "Dean? Please Dean, come back. I didn't mean to kill her!" Dylan cried into the darkness.

"Dylan?" Briar's voice echoed through her ears. Dylan looked up and tried to wipe her nose on a clean spot of her shirt, the feat impossible.

"Briar, do you hate me too?" Dylan asked pathetically. Briar frowned and shook her head. "But I'm a monster. Even Dean hates me," Dylan said, sniffling.

"Dylan, you could never be a monster," Briar said. Dylan sobbed and pointed over to where Anna's body was.

"I killed her, Bri. I didn't even stop to think about it," Dylan said. Briar shook her head again.

"No, Dyl, you didn't," Briar said. She dropped to the floor next to Dylan and hugged her. Dylan tried to push her away.

"You'll be covered in blood," Dylan protested. Briar just held tightly, and that caused Dylan to cry harder. The girls sat like that for a while, while Dylan cried out what she could. When Dylan pulled away, Briar's wife-beater was spotless and still pristine white. "But," Dylan started.

"Dylan, you aren't a monster because you didn't kill anyone," Briar said. She pointed over to where the body lay. Dylan cast an uneasy glance at it to see it wasn't there. She looked down at her hands, not a speck of blood on them.

"What?" Dylan asked.

"Hey," Gabriel said meekly, stepping into the room. Dylan frowned at him.

"He was behind the disappearances. I got him to help me get you to vent," Briar said. Dylan turned and glared at Briar.

"You tricked me?" she asked, her anger rising a bit. Dylan hiccuped and her anger disappeared.

"It worked, didn't it?" Briar asked. Dylan looked down at the ground.

"How could you do this to me?" Dylan asked her. Briar shook her head again.

"I did this _for_ you. Dylan, I got a call from Sam," Briar started.

"What?" Dylan asked. Briar frowned deeper.

"Dean's in the hospital," Briar finally said. Dylan's face changed.

"I want to see him," Dylan said. Briar smiled at her.

"I figured you would say that," Briar said, standing. She helped Dylan up and turned to Gabriel. "Thanks, Gabe," Briar said.

"So, I'm free, that's it, you aren't even going to bother trying to kill me?" Gabriel asked. Briar frowned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, hun," she said. Gabe smirked again.

"I might just have to keep my eyes on you," he said before he disappeared. Briar led Dylan out to the car and headed in the direction of Sam and Dean.

* * *

Briar led the way to the room that Dean was in and moved forward through the door. She noticed Dylan pausing a ways back, still out of Dean's eye sight. "Good morning star-shine, the Earth says hello," Briar piped up, obviously cheery.

"Bite me," Dean said as he turned away from her.

"Alright, where do you want it, and how hard?" Briar asked, smirking, as she sat on an empty space on the hospital bed.

"I'm not in the mood for your peppy, cheery crap," Dean said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Jes-sus. I guess the crabby mood is contagious from over a hundred miles away," Briar said.

"Briar," Dylan said, her tone warning. Despite the mental rape-age Briar had submitted her to, Dylan was still moody, but not nearly as much so. Briar leaned down to whisper in Dean's ear.

"The wicked bitch of the south is here," Briar said. Dean pushed her away.

"Yeah, thanks Bri, I got that," Dean said. Briar shrugged and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hey," Dylan said meekly, her eyes on the floor. "How are you?" Dean just stared at her.

"You ignore my calls and texts for weeks on end, and when I finally do see you again, all I get is a 'hey'?" Dean asked, his temper rising a bit. Dylan looked up at him, her eyes flashing.

"I can just leave, you know. I thought I'd be nice and come see how you were doing," Dylan fired back.

"So it takes me getting in the hospital to bring you back, nice," Dean said sarcastically. Dylan looked down at her feet then turned.

"I can see I'm not wanted here," Dylan said and made for the door.

"Dylan, wait. I'm sorry," Dean said. Dylan stopped with her hand on the knob. She looked up and saw Briar's eyes peering at her through the window. She placed her hand over the glass and Briar stood up further to get a view. Dylan snorted and shut the blinds turning back to face Dean.

"I'm," Dylan started.

"No, Dylan. If whatever you were going to say has anything to do with that night in the woods, don't say anything. Just let me talk," Dean started. Dylan stayed quiet. "I honestly had no idea you felt that way, and I'm sorry if I've led you on," Dean started. Dylan looked up at him.

"Dean," she tried, but Dean held up a hand.

"I'm sorry that me being with Anna, in that way, upset you, but that's how I am, and I'm not going to change any time soon," Dean said. Dylan shook her head.

"Dean, I just want to know that I have a chance, that I'm not wasting my time. And I'm not talking my chance at one night alone with you in bed," Dylan said. She sighed and looked down at the floor. "Dean, I like you, a lot, but I can't keep going like I have, just to keep getting hurt," Dylan said. Dean motioned for her to move closer to the bed. She did and he took her hand in his. Dean looked up at her.

"I can't tell you that you have a chance, because I don't make the rules. I don't know how I feel about all this right now, but I promise you, that I'll tell you when I do know," Dean said. Dylan started to cry at the tenderness he was showing her. He kissed her hand gently and let it go. "Though I don't know how anyone could like a monster like me," Dean said. Dylan frowned and shook her head.

"You're not a monster, Dean," Dylan said. Dean shook his head, denying the comment.

"You don't know what I've done, what I'm capable of," Dean said. Dylan knelt down next to him.

"I know more than you think," Dylan said, gripping his hand with both of hers. She smiled at him and he smiled back. The door opened behind Dylan.

"Now that that chick-flick is over with," Briar burst in.

"Son of a," Dylan started.

"I brought bacon cheeseburgers!" Briar cheered. Dylan watched Dean's eyes light up.

"Sweet!" he said, holding out his free hand for one of the bags.

**END (for now)**


	9. A Haunting Past

Author's Notes: Okay, so, most of the credit for this chapter goes to Moon Bluewolf, as she's the one that wrote it. Technically, Dylan is her character, so I thought it would be fitting for her to write Dylan's back story chapter. This is a little insight into what made Dylan the way she is. And...I had to edit this...quite a bit. I must admit, I'm not much a fan of Delan moments, but the girl loaded the chapter with them, so I had to cut some out. Anyway, here's the ninth chapter (finally) so enjoy.

Chapter Nine: A Haunting Past

* * *

"Any idea when they'll be here?" Briar asked, lounging back in her booth seat. Dylan checked her watch again and shrugged. The girls had suggested they meet up with the boys for dinner after their most recent case. Dean had claimed that he wanted a bacon cheeseburger over Sam talking to Briar.

When Briar had relayed the comment to Dylan, the other girl had answered with, "Typical." Briar caught site of the boys when they walked in, both of them looking a little lost. She raised her hand and waved it so they would see her and they headed over. Dean slid into the seat next to Dylan and Sam next to Briar, both of them grinning.

"Hey ladies, how's work been treating you?" Dean asked, looking between the girls. Dylan shrugged and looked to Briar before answering him.

"Fine, same ol', same ol'. You?" Dylan said. Dean shrugged.

"Same. Just finished with an angry ghost from Sammy's past," Dean said, his eyes sliding to Dylan. He winked at her when she met his eyes. The waitress stepped up to the table, a fake smile plastered to her face.

"Anything I can get you?" she asked. Briar nodded and handed her menu over to the lady.

"Bacon cheeseburger and a beer," Briar said. Dean arched an eyebrow at her and stretched his arms out across the back of the booth seat.

"Same," Dean said to the waitress. Sam ordered a beer and a salad while Dylan thought over hers.

"Uh, Dr. Pepper and a cheeseburger with pickles and mustard only," Dylan finally answered. Briar rolled her eyes.

"What, you don't like onions? What's wrong with you?" Dean asked, giving her shoulder a playful shove. Dylan frowned at him.

"Onions have no good qualities to me, whatsoever," Dylan replied, crossing her arms on the table. The waitress came back with their drinks and Briar popped the top off her bottle and took a large swig.

"You wouldn't know, Dyl, you won't even try them," Briar said, causing the men to laugh. Dylan stuck her tongue out at Briar. The four of them sat there and chatted about recent hunts and towns they'd visited, the people they met. The girls left out their encounter with the trickster, both deciding that it was for the best.

"Have you girls faced any demons yet, besides, well, you know, the first one?" Dean asked. Briar shook her head and gulped down more of her beer. Dean looked between Briar and Dylan, sighing. "I figured you girls would've stuck with them. They seem more the type for you two to hunt," Dean said with a smirk. Dylan looked up at Dean, her breath leaving her.

"I, uh," she stumbled for words. She cleared her mind to try again. "All I remember from that one is that you saved my life. I kinda blocked everything else out, it wasn't that great of a memory," Dylan admitted, looking up into his eyes again. She felt her heartbeat quicken and she forced herself to look out the window. She heard Briar make a noise and dragged her eyes to her friend. Briar just arched an eyebrow at her, silently questioning her. The waitress came back, saving Dylan from further questioning. All four dug in, famished, leaving intelligent conversation to dwindle.

After they finished and the plates were taken, they remained seated, not feeling like parting just yet. In the line of business the two pairs where in, friends were few and far between. Briar's phone started playing Small Town USA by Justin Moore causing Dylan to giggle. Dean and Sam exchanged confused looks as Briar answered it and listened. Briar's eyes went wide and she put a hand to her forehead. She turned to stare at Dylan from across the table, and the other girl could see worry, fear, and concern flash across her friend's features. Dylan's brows knitted together, confused by her partner and best friends, expression. Briar shook her head and looked away, and Dylan could tell, that whatever Bobby was telling her, wasn't good news. Briar thanked Bobby and shut her phone. She schooled her features before she turned back to the group.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked the two. Briar refused to answer, she just threw down a bill and left in the direction of the restroom. "You know what's wrong?" Dean asked Dylan.

"No, but judging from that look she gave me, it wasn't good," Dylan said, her eyes on the door Briar had disappeared through. Briar came back a short while later, looking reasonably better. "Bri, what's up?" Dylan asked. Briar sighed and plastered on a smile.

"Bobby's got a case for us in," Briar paused, stumbling over the city, "uh, Hamilton. I'd like to check it out," Briar said, avoiding Dylan's eyes. "This one could get a bit out of hand, if you two would like to tag along," Briar said looking between Sam and Dean. Sam glanced at Dean, making it obvious that it was his decision. Dean shrugged and smirked.

"Sure, yeah. We'll help you out," Dean said. He pulled a twenty out of his wallet and dropped it on the table and the four of them stood to leave. The four stepped out into the crisp, cool night air. Dylan shivered as she turned to face the others. "So, we're like, a hundred miles from Hamilton?" Dean asked the group. Briar raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, Dean, try over a thousand miles," Briar said. Dean stopped and turned to her.

"Really?" he asked. Dylan tried not to laugh and nodded her head. Briar pointed at the cars parked side by side.

"We should really get going if we wanna get there before the family dies," Briar said, her eyebrow still raised.

"How far should we go?" Dylan asked Dean, smiling. He shrugged.

"Why are you asking me?" Dean countered.

"Alright, I'll let Briar be the dictator," Dylan said, turning. "You get to follow us this time," she called over her shoulder as she followed Briar to the mustang. Dean sent a look to Sam who just shrugged and followed the girls, Dean behind him. When the boys reached the mustang, Briar had the GPS in her hands and was looking at the map.

"We can drive for three hours and hit a city a good distance into North Dakota," Briar said, not raising her eyes. Dean nodded and turned to Sam.

"You up for driving, Sammy?" Dean asked, tossing his keys to his brother. Sam caught them and went to the driver side of the impala.

"When ever you're ready, Bri," Sam called over the hood before getting in the car next to Dean. Briar situated herself in the driver's seat of the mustang, Dylan getting in beside her.

Briar started the car and pulled out of the diner parking lot. "So," Dylan started. Briar turned her face a fraction to Dylan to let her know she was listening. "You gonna tell me what that weird look in the restaurant was about?" Dylan asked. Briar frowned, but otherwise said nothing. "Bri, you withholding information is only going to make me anxious. What's going on in Hamilton that you feel like you can't tell me?" Dylan asked. Briar sighed and glanced at her before putting her eyes back on the road, the look in her eyes ripping at Dylan's nerves.

"The, uh," Briar stopped to clear her throat. "This one might hit a little close to home for you," Briar said, avoiding Dylan's eyes now. Dylan sat in silence, waiting for more.

"What, that's it? That's _all_ I get? Nice, Bri. Way to be cryptic," Dylan said, turning to stare out the front windshield. The silence in the car stretched for a few minutes before Briar reached over and switched on her iPod, the sounds of I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace filling the empty air. It wasn't long before Briar heard Dylan's breathing slow to an even pattern and sighed. She drove in relative silence, the impala trailing behind her. Three hours later, Briar pulled into the parking lot of a motel, the impala in right next to her. She rolled down her window and looked up at Dean as he unfolded himself from the passenger seat and stretched.

"I'll wake Dyl up, you two get the rooms," Briar sighed, looking up at him. She cast a glance over at her friend still fast asleep and couldn't help the well of sympathy that seeped up. She hid it all with a wicked smirk and pulled a flashlight out from the back seat, aiming it at Dylan's face and flicking it on and shining it in her eyes. When Dylan stirred, Briar hid the flashlight under the seat and adopted an innocent face. Dylan shot her a glare.

"We stopped for the night?" Dylan asked her voice scratchy from sleep. Briar nodded as she unbuckled her seat belt. Dylan stretched and looked out the window. "Where are the boys?" she asked, yawning.

"They're checking us in," Briar replied, stretching her own muscles. They sat there in silence for a moment or two while they waited for the boys to come back.

"So, we got a long drive ahead of us tomorrow, since we only did about two hundred miles tonight," Briar said, without looking at Dylan. Dylan looked over at her best friend, and wondered why she was keeping the case a big secret from her. Was it really that bad? Was Briar worried that Dylan might not wanna be part of it if she knew? _What could be so bad that she wouldn't tell me? _Dylan thought to herself. Dylan caught sight of the boys coming around the corner, and got out of the car. All her muscles had locked up while she'd slept. Her side muscles cramped up, and she took a deep breath, and tried to stand, only to hear herself grunt with pain. Briar was at her side at an instant.

"You alright?" she asked her friend. Dylan was confused at Briar's kindness. _This case must really be getting to her, _Dylan thought, and yet she still had no idea what the hell was going on. Dean stepped up to the car, and held up the girls' room key.

"You guys are in 315, and we're in the adjoining 317," he said, dropping it into Briar's hand. He then looked over at Dylan, who was still stretching out the rest of her muscles.

"Sleep on the way here?" he asked, obviously having gone through this before. Dylan nodded.

"The front seat is not very comfortable," she said, still bent over.

"Once you get inside and laid down, it feels amazing on those muscles, trust me, I've been there; those car seats aren't exactly comfy when it comes to taking a nap," he said. Dylan smirked up at him, and straitened up, before moving to the trunk to gather the bags. Briar handed the key to her, and she brushed past Dean. Once she got the door opened, she threw the bags down wherever she could find a good place, and dug through hers for her sleepwear. After changing and tossing a good night to the boys in the room next door, Dylan crawled into bed, and watched Briar unpack the essentials. Briar finally sat down to take off her shoes when she caught Dylan staring.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You've got to tell me more about this case. Whatever it is, I can handle it," Dylan said, sitting up, the blanket falling down from her chin. Briar sighed, and looked at her best friend, deciding whether she would regret telling Dylan tonight. She shook her head a pain expression on her face.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, Dyl, I promise. If I tell you tonight, you won't sleep, and that'll just screw you up for the case, so go to sleep. I'll tell you tomorrow on the road when you're more alert," Briar said, standing to change her own clothes. Dylan nodded, figuring that made sense. She would remember Briar's promise, and she wouldn't let her escape tomorrow. She would get the truth out of Briar, it was only a matter of time.

Dean peered through the partition doors to see both girls out of bed. "Morning Starshine!" Briar chirped as she lay eyes on him. Dean waved at her as he walked in the door, not expecting a perky Briar at eight thirty in the morning. Dylan caught Dean coming in as she walked out of the bathroom.

"Morning, Dean," she said, then looked down at Briar, who was downing her coffee by the gulp. "Don't mind her, she's usually very awake and cheery once she's had her morning caffeine. I'm actually not sure whether I like her this way, or when she's more exhausted and groggy. I guess they're both beneficial," she said, giving Dean a small smile.

"I was headed out to get breakfast, and I think it'd be easier to carry if one of you went with me," he asked. His eyes on Dyaly, he continued, "do you wanna go with me?" Dylan looked at him, not having seen that coming.

"Yea, I'll go, just give me two minutes, and I'll be ready," Dylan said, flattered that he had asked her. Briar rolled her eyes. Dean nodded and went back into his room.

"Look who's getting flirty at eight thirty in the morning," Briar said. Dylan hit Briar in the head with a shirt, messing up Briar's hair. Briar hissed at her, and Dylan stuck her tongue out as she walked back into the bathroom. When she was done she sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Alright, what do you want for breakfast?" Dylan asked, slipping on her tennis shoes. She stood and stretched out her jeans out a bit, and sprayed on a bit of perfume.

"Pancakes would be awesome," Briar replied.

"Okay. So, what are you gonna do while I'm gone?" she asked Briar, who was sitting in the office chair, spinning around in circles. Dylan fastened her watch into place, and then looked at Briar.

"I will," she started, looking around the room, "probably get up and get in the shower," she paused, "or search for awesome porn since Dean's paying the hotel bill," she said, looking away from Dylan and smiling. Dylan rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you've had too much caffeine this morning, this is one of those times I like you better when you're exhausted," Dylan said, smirking. She grabbed her denim jacket, and said bye to her friend as she walked out the door. Dylan spotted Dean leaning against the car, and stopped in her tracks as she examined him. He was clad in his work boots, ripped jeans, a black t-shirt under a green button shirt, and his brown leather jacket. He had his hands in his pocket, and was watching her eye him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, wondering why she was just standing there staring at him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," she said, shaking her head. She climbed into the passenger seat of the impala and buckled her seat belt before Dean pulled out onto the road.

"What were you looking at back there?" he asked her, curiously. Dylan looked over at Dean, wondering what she should tell him. She couldn't tell him she'd been checking him out, that would just make things awkward between them, especially after all that had happened.

"I thought I'd forgotten something, but I didn't," she replied. He nodded, but she wasn't sure if he really believed her. He pulled into a small diner on the edge of town, and turned off the car. He turned to her, his hand still on the steering wheel.

"Were you, you were checking me out, weren't you?" he asked, slyly. Dylan was inwardly shocked that he'd figured it out. How could he have known? Dylan shook her head.

"No. No way," she responded, chuckling nervously. Dean's eyebrows raised, and Dylan sighed, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him sideways.

"Alright, yes, I was checking you out. Its no big deal, really," she said, trying to ignore his gaze. "You keep staring at me like that, you're gonna burn a hole in my head," she said, trying to change the subject to keep herself from flushing.

"Dylan," Dean paused, "I remember. I haven't forgotten," he said, shaking his head on the last part. Now she was confused.

"What do you remember?" she asked.

"What you told me that night in the woods when we were helping Anna. And that night at the hospital. I haven't forgotten about our little chats," he replied. She looked over at him and could tell that he was replaying it over and over in his head. Dylan flinched as she remembered what had brought on her whole confession. She hadn't liked seeing Dean with Anna that night, even though she knew he hadn't known how she felt about him. And she knew she still felt that way, she'd never stopped, but Briar was right; Dean wasn't going to settle on one girl, especially the one that had clung to his arm when they first met. It didn't matter that she liked him, she was from a different world than he was, and what if she had to go back? Still, she couldn't help the way she felt. She'd felt that way since she first starting watching the show, coming here only strengthened it. It was hard to remember that she wasn't from here, that she'd come from a world where Dean and Sam were only TV characters.

Dylan looked over at Dean, who was still staring at her.

"We should probably go in and get the food before Briar takes a bite out of Sam," she said, giving Dean a small grin, and pushing the subject out the window. She doubted Dean would ever go for her; she figured he was out of her league. He got out of the car, and locked the doors. They walked into the small diner and the smell of bacon washed over them.

"What are you going to get?" Dean asked her, his eyes on the menu.

"Pancakes for Briar and I'd like scrambled eggs with cheese, and bacon, what are you gonna get?" she replied. He pursed his lips as he thought about it.

"What you're having sounds good, I'll get the same for me and Sam," he replied. They ordered the food, then sat in an empty booth, waiting for the call. Dean laid his elbows on the table, and looked out the window. He started to whistle, then looked at Dylan, who was sitting back in the booth with her legs crossed on the seat, her gaze focused out the window. It didn't take long before Dean's stare started making her nerves crawl.

"What?" Dylan asked, finally turning to look at Dean.

"Why did you two choose to become hunters? That was your one chance to start over, live your lives normal, but you chose the most dangerous life you could. I don't get it," he said, and Dylan could see the curiosity in his eyes. "I mean, Sam and I never chose this life. We got started so that we could-"

"Kill the demon that killed your mom, I know, Dean," she said, sympathetically, cutting him off.

"But you and Briar, you two don't have any reason to be hunters. I'm just curious as to why you chose the life," he said. Dylan shrugged, then sat up, placing her own elbows on the table.

"When I used to watch you on television, I would wonder what it was like to do what you do, to hunt the monsters, to wander around the country, seeing all kinds of things I never thought I'd have the chance to see. Then when Bri and I got here, we just kind of," she paused to think, "embraced the life. Dean, we'd hadn't been here for a minute, and we already had demons on us, and all because they thought we were normal people, which we were, but that's not the point. So when you guys left, we thought that maybe we should become hunters too. I mean sure, we don't get paid, and most of the time, we don't get thanked, but its always worth seeing the smiles on their faces, you know?" she explained, looking up into a pair of green eyes. He nodded, and looked down, blinking several times.

"Yea, I do actually. I gotta admit, you don't look the hunter type; do you have any idea how innocent you look? You could use that to your advantage, you know?" he asked her, and she laughed, shaking her head. "What about the danger, aren't you afraid? These things we hunt, they're not playing around, they will kill you and Briar. You're still new, you can still get out," he said, and she could tell from his voice that he really cared.

"Dean, we're okay. We know how dangerous this life is, and we accept it. Don't worry about us, we learned from the best," she said, winking at him. He smiled at her comment.

"Now I wanna talk about the case we're going in for today. Hamilton, right?"

"Yep," Dylan replied.

"Any other information you can give me?" Dean asked. Dylan rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"That's all I know. Briar wouldn't tell me anything besides that it was personal for me, whatever that means," she said, shrugging. Dean looked at her, confused. They were finally called to the counter. Dean paid, and they left the diner, headed back to the motel.

When they arrived, Briar was packing the bags into the mustang. Dean went into his and Sam's motel room, and dropped the food and his keys onto the desk, then turned and looked at Sam, who was stuffing his clothes into his duffel.

"Dean, what took you guys so long to get back? You've been gone for about two hours," Sam scolded his older brother.

"We did take a little longer than expected, but its not like we're in a hurry, Sammy," Dean said, grabbing his own bag and starting to stuff clothes into it.

"We should be," Sam said, his hands stopping in the middle of packing.

"Why? Did you find something out?" Dean asked, looking up at him, then rolled up his shirt and stuck it inside the bag.

"Dean, we really shouldn't get attached to these girls, they're not from this world, we have to stay, distant," Sam said, avoiding Dean's question.

"I'm not getting attached. I mean sure, I care about them, but its pure business," Dean said, but knew it was a lie. It wasn't often that people like him and his brother came across others like themselves. Sure they had Bobby, but there were very few other hunters that they really got along with. As for Dylan, he didn't know why, but he could sense that there was more to her choosing this life than just not knowing what else to do here. It was like she was trying to prove something to someone. Dean went back to packing his bag and took it outside to put it in the back seat of the impala. He tossed it in, then turned and saw Dylan packing her's into the mustang. He nodded at her, and she smiled back.

Briar walked out of the motel, and saw the two staring at each other. She walked up to the mustang, and threw her bag in the trunk, then walked to where Dylan was, who was watching as Dean walked back into his room. "What are you doing?" Briar asked her friend. The smile disappeared, and a look of confusion took its place on Dylan's face.

"What do you mean?" Dylan asked, feigning innocence. She walked around Briar, and headed back into the room.

"I meant that yard long staring contest out there. You and Dean were totally eying each other. Is there something I don't know about?" Briar said, following Dylan.

"There isn't anything going on, Briar," Dylan said, her heartbeat speeding up as she thought about the man next door.

"Whatever," Briar scoffed, "you can't lie to me, spill," Briar said, sitting on the bed next to the weaponry bag. Dylan walked over to her former bed, and took the gun out from under her pillow and checked the load. She switched to safety on and stuck it in her pants at her side.

"All that happened was that me and Dean talked, and by talked, I mean he mentioned that he remembered our chat in the woods and the hospital, and that was it," she said, zipping the bag up and walking outside with it. She placed it into the back seat where they always put it, then turned and almost collided with Dean, who was carrying a bag of food.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face. She grinned back, and looked up at him,

"You guys all packed up yet?" she asked him, curiously. He turned around and looked at the impala, then turned back to Dylan and nodded.

"Yep, how bout you girls, you packed and ready to go? We got a long way to go today," he reminded her. She nodded.

"But something tells me it won't take us long to get there with the way you and Briar speed like there are hell hounds on your tails," she said, winking at him. She walked around him, still grinning, and went into the boys' room to get her and Briar's breakfast. Dean watched her walk away, and couldn't help the smirk that slid across his face.

Briar rested her chin on Dean's shoulder as she also watched Dylan walk away. Dean turned around to face her, his hands still holding onto the bag of food.

"What's going on between the two of you?" Briar asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked her, wondering when his personal life and who he made friends with became everyone's business.

"You two have been acting weird around each other ever since you pulled up, and Dylan seems bright and cheery," Briar pointed out. Dylan came walking out of the room, carrying two Styrofoam boxes, and walked towards the twosome.

"Here you go, Briar, this is yours," Dylan said, handing the box to Briar.

"Okay, thanks, just take it inside, I'll be right behind you," she said, not taking her eyes from Dean. Dylan flashed her best grin at Dean before walking away, and took the food inside. Briar watched Dean's eyes as they looked at Dylan. They seemed to light up, which was freaking Briar out. Dean looked back down at Briar, the grin disappearing. Briar raised her eyebrows. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to develop emotions for my best friend, Mr. Winchester," Briar accused.

"Look, there's nothing going on, alright? Dylan is just a friend, just like you, that's it," he said, and walked away. Briar shook her head; she knew there was something going on between Dean and Dylan, and she couldn't help but smile to herself. The girls packed the rest of their things into the mustang, and met the boys at the front. Sam and Briar went inside to check them out before heading back to the cars, a sour look on Sam's face. Briar situated herself into the driver's seat, a sly smirk on her face as she buckled in.

"What's up with Sam?" Dylan asked, her eyes going to the two brothers arguing over the top of the impala.

"Apparently, Dean ordered _Casa Erotica _last night while Sam was asleep," Briar said, rolling her eyes. Briar started the car as the boys finally got into their own. "Here we go," Briar said, sighing. Dylan rolled her window down a few inches as they neared the outskirts of the city, headed out of state.

They drove for hours on end, and Dylan was starting to feel the discomfort of the passenger seat. Briar would occasionally glance over at her.

"Are you alright? What are you doing?" she asked, looking between the road and Dylan.

"This seat is starting to get uncomfortable, and my butt hurts from sitting for so long," she replied, changing her position again.

"Just don't think about it, put in your earphones, and listen to your iPod for awhile. It'll distract you," she said. Dylan looked at her, and shrugged. She placed the ear-buds in her ears and let the music play. She turned on Careless Whisper by Seether, laid the seat back and dozed off to sleep.

"_Worthless whore, you're completely useless," he said, slapping her across her face. She felt the impact knock her off her feet, and her face heat up from the slap. She fought back the tears as they surfaced, and turned back to him._

_ "I'm sorry, I'll get it right next time," Dylan cried. Her father knocked off a glass lamp on a nearby table, and the sound of it crashing on the floor echoed throughout the house._

_ "Clean that up, then get out of my house before I give you something to really be scared of," he said, noticing that Dylan was shaking in fear from head to toe. She hurriedly started gathering all the shattered glass, ignoring the cuts and scars the glass was slicing into her skin. She couldn't help but wince at the pain._

"Dylan, wake up!" Briar said, shaking her best friend. Dylan's eyes snapped open, and her tears streaked down her face. Her throat burned with un-shed tears, and she looked around the car, seeing nothing but cars passing by them and the impala parked in front of them.

"What happened?" Dylan asked, the images still in her mind. Briar rubbed Dylan's shoulder softly, and a sympathetic look was on her face.

"I guess you were dreaming of the way," Briar paused, "the way things were," she said, her voice low. Dylan wiped her tears away, and sat her seat up, and looked out the window.

"I guess going to Montana is bringing everything back to the surface," Dylan said, her tone sad. Briar didn't say anything. She couldn't believe this was happening. There was no way she could tell Dylan that her family was the reason they were going to Montana, that they were the ones who had the deadly poltergeist in their house. When Briar had received the address from Bobby, it'd been the same address, and now Briar was sure that Dylan would probably turn her back on these people. She felt guilty for dragging her friend into a case to defend the very same people who'd hated her.

"The boys didn't see that, did they?" Dylan asked after a minute.

"No, I just told them to pull over. I told them you were just having a bad dream and that I couldn't wake you while I was driving," she replied. Dylan nodded, and rubbed her eyes before turning back to the window, her hand resting on her forehead. Dylan checked her watch to see that it read about 5:15 in the evening.

"Shouldn't be too long before we reach the North Dakota border," she said.

"You've really fallen for him, haven't you?" Briar asked, randomly. Dylan glanced at her friend, confused.

"That came out of nowhere, why do you ask?" Dylan wondered.

"Just a question, I noticed how you looked at him back at that motel," Briar replied. Dylan nodded, and grinned to herself as she thought of the man in the car in front of her.

"I couldn't help _but _fall, Briar. After all the times I've seen him and then everything we've been through with them, how can I deny it to myself? I just wish I could tell him," she said.

"Why can't you? You know that if you don't, he'll just end up with Lisa, and you'll lose him forever," Briar said.

"And if we end up having to go back to our world? What will happen to us then? What if when this is over, we have to go back, Bri? I'm gonna lose him forever no matter what I do. Its better I don't tell him," Dylan said. "If I tell him, it could destroy us both, then there's the little thing of whether he even likes me much less loves me," Dylan said, all the reasons pouring out of her mouth. Briar sighed.

"You told him you liked him, and he didn't reject you," Briar said.

"He didn't exactly rejoice either," she said, "I just think it'd be safer on both sides if," Dylan swallowed the lump in her throat, "if I kept my mouth shut," she said, turning to look out the window. "It'll hurt for awhile, but I'll live," she said, gazing out the window.

"I don't know if we could go back even if we wanted to," Briar muttered. She sighed and turned to stare out the front windshield at the impala still parked on the side of the road in front of them. "Dyl, you don't know what could come out of either possibility. There's a reason you have to just close your eyes and take a shot. You can't find the one if you don't try," Briar said. Dylan looked at her, and smiled.

"Did you read that out of a fortune cookie?" she asked, smirking.

"I'm serious."

"I know you are. You're getting wise in your old age, Bri," Dylan said, running her hands through her hair. Briar chuckled, and started the car, pulling up in front of the boys and starting down the road towards the North Dakota border. Dylan's phone rang then, Josh Turner echoing throughout the interior of the car. "Hello? Hey, Dean. Yeah, sure, okay. Okay," she said, and hung up.

"What was that about?" Briar asked, curiously.

"He's hungry, and honestly, I am too," Dylan said, sitting up in her seat.

"You two are so in sync," Briar said, shaking her head. She spotted a small restaurant a short ways off the highway and turned, watching to see if the boys were still following her lead. The girls got out of the car, and Dylan walked over to meet Dean. Briar rested her arms on top of the mustang and smirked. "Hungry as always, Deany-boy?" Briar called.

"Hey Dylan. Briar," Dean replied, sending a glare over Dylan's shoulder at Briar. Briar ignored him and made her way into the restaurant, leaving the boys and Dylan to follow behind her. They sat and ate in silence, hurrying to get back on the road to get to their job. They walked out to their cars and Sam stood closer to the mustang.

"Hey, Dylan. Mind if we switch for a while?" Sam asked. Dylan nodded, a smile on her face and she moved to the passenger door of the impala, watching Sam get into the mustang before she settled in next to Dean, a knot in the pit of her stomach. The mustang pulled out in front of them and Dean followed behind. After a few short minutes of silence, he switched on the radio, a song from AC/DC blasting across the speakers. He turned it down and glanced over at Dylan. Neither of them said anything so he looked back at the road.

Every now and then, Dylan looked at him, then looked away when he looked back.

"What are you looking at?" he finally asked her, curiously. She shook her head.

"I'm not looking at anything," she replied, doing her best not to smile. She looked out her window, still grinning. The sound of Back in Black filled the impala, and Dylan tapped her hands against her thighs to the beat. Dean looked at her, surprise on his face.

"You like AC/DC?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Hey, I listen to more than just Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake," she said, defending herself. He looked at her, grinning.

"So, how do you know someone like Briar? You seem so-"

"Young? Innocent, compared to her?" Dylan asked, cutting him off. He nodded. "Briar and I have been best friends forever, we're practically sisters, I'd die for her, and, as far as I know, the same goes for her," Dylan replied.

"She does seem to be very protective of you. When we first met, I couldn't believe how she volunteered to be possessed by that demon, but when she said she was doing it because she'd rather it be her than you, I was amazed at her strength," he said. Dylan nodded, and smiled.

"Yea, so was I-I can't even remember being possessed. I remember the black smoke, and then there are images of," she paused, "something, and then I was me again, it's weird," she said as she recalled the experience. "All I know is that we'd still be stuck there if not for you and Sam, so thank you," she said, grinning. Dean shrugged.

"Its what we do best," he said, his voice prideful. Dylan rolled her eyes, and focused on the new song coming out of the speakers. She recognized it as Smoke On the Water. As she focused on the lyrics, she found herself drifting into sleep. After a solid sleep, Dylan woke and looked around her before her mind caught up. Dean smiled at her when she glanced over at him and everything before now came back to her.

"Oh," she said, earning a confused look from Dean. Dylan shook her head. "I had a strange dream." That seemed to appease Dean. "How much longer?" she asked.

"We're about four or five hours out. Briar called to let us know," Dean said. Dylan nodded and sat back in her seat.

"What now?" Dylan asked. Dean lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. Dylan was beginning to hate these long drives across the country. It wasn't often that they got a job really far from where they were, but sometimes, even being nearly two states away, they happened to be the closest to the case. "You know anything more about this case than Briar's willing to tell me?" Dylan asked. Dean glanced at her then back at the road.

"I think she's told me less about it than she has you. All I know is what you told me," Dean said. Dylan scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Figures. She plays everything close to her chest. I guess that's a good thing sometimes, means any secrets you tell her won't get leaked out, but," Dylan shook her head. "I hate not knowing what's going on. It makes me feel like I'm invalid or something." Dean nodded along.

"Well, Briar's really strong. Maybe her weakness is that she's too protective of her friends," Dean suggested. Dylan pondered that.

"Poor Sammy, I wonder how he's doing coping with Briar in these long treacherous hours," Dylan said, finally thinking of him again. She felt a little sorry for him being cooped up with Briar for this long, but she still couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face.

"I think he's doing just fine," Dean said cryptically. Dylan lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Now don't go all Riddler on me too," Dylan said. Dean chuckled at her.

"Sam and Briar get along incredibly well. I'll admit it's kind of scary sometimes," Dean said. Dylan rolled her eyes.

"Strange considering she's more like you," Dylan mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." Dean sighed and Dylan turned her attention out her window. In the distance, she could see a sign noting where they were. _You are now entering: Hamilton Montana._ Dylan sighed in relief. "Freaking finally," she said, stretching, her fingertips brushing the ceiling of the car. "Now we can get this case over with. The drove until they came to a Blue Bird motel and Dean pulled the impala in next the mustang, Sam and Briar already leaning against it, waiting.

Dylan climbed out of the impala, and stretched as she waited for Dean. They walked into the lobby and up to the check-in desk. They paid for two rooms and walked back outside. "So?" Briar asked.

"We are in 214, and they are in 212," Dylan told Briar once she got close enough. She tossed Briar their room key and glanced over to see Dean pulling his and Sam's bags out of the trunk. Sam went and helped him while Briar turned to unlock her trunk so they could retrieve their own bags. They all moved to their rooms and settled in before they dressed for the part.

Dylan walked into the boys' room to ask if they were ready to go, and caught Dean coming out of the bathroom clad in only his dress pants. Dylan gulped and her eyes went wide.

"Whoa," she said, unable to stop herself from gasping. She examined his chest and forgot how to breathe. Forcing her gaze away from his upper torso, she looked into his eyes. "Umm, we're,uh, ready to go when you guys are. I'm sorry, Dean, I didn't mean to, uh..." she stuttered, backing into the door, then turned and entered her and Briar's room, closing the door behind her. Briar noticed Dylan at the door between the rooms, her face bright red.

"Hi tomato, what the hell is wrong with you?" Briar asked, an eyebrow raised. Dylan looked up at her, and moved away from the door.

"What? Nothing, I'm not," she said, placing her gun into the back of her pants, and grabbing her gas company and FBI badges. Briar rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything else, a part of her not really wanting to know what it was that Dylan saw on the other side of that door.

Moments later, the boys knocked on the adjoining door to the girls' room, and Dylan answered it to find both boys behind it.

"Come on in boys," she said, her face feeling heated as she caught Dean's eye.

"Hey, you ladies ready?" Dean asked, sitting down on the edge of Briar's bed. Briar entered the room, having just finished her makeup, and moved to her bag on the bed.

"Make yourself comfortable, Dean," she told Dean, sarcastically. He smirked at Briar, then fell back to lay on her bed and picked up a magazine that was beside him.

"Will do." Dylan laughed at him, and he smiled without taking his eyes from the magazine.

"I swear, you two fight like children sometimes," Dylan commented, earning a chuckle from Sam. Briar pulled a small, folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Dean.

"Address," she said, then moved to exit the room, all three of them following behind her. The moved to their respective vehicles and took off down the road onto the highway.

Briar felt nervous as she followed the boys, knowing the next few hours were going to be very touch and go for Dylan. She looked over at her best friend, and noticed that Dylan had a big smile on her face. _She must be thinking about Dean, _Briar thought to herself.

"How was the ride with Dean? Did you enjoy riding with your boyfriend?" she asked, trying not to think about where they were headed.

"He is not my boyfriend, but yes I did enjoy it, it gave us time to talk and to get to know each other a bit more," she replied, a soft grin spreading across her face. They arrived at the address, and Briar's heart sank. _I can't stall this anymore, this is gonna kill her, _she thought to herself. She climbed out of the mustang, as the boys got out of the impala in front of them. Dylan climbed out, and stopped in her tracks, staring at the house in horror. Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped them away, immediately, refusing to cry. Her heart felt heavy in her chest. Briar walked around the back of the car, and caught sight of the fear on Dylan's face.

"I was afraid of this," she said to herself, and approached her best friend, a sympathetic look on her face. Dean and Sam looked back at them, and concern flashed across Dean's features.

"I'm not going in there, I can't, I can't do it, Bri," she panicked, shaking her head.

"Remember Dylan, they won't even know you. They may not even be who you think they are," Briar said, and softly took Dylan's hand in hers. Dylan let Briar lead her up the stairs. Dean watched Dylan and Briar, curiously and concerned, but followed after them. Briar rang the doorbell, and waited, keeping her eyes on Dylan. Dean looked down at her one last time before the door opened to reveal a young boy who looked around fourteen years old, with blond hair and brown eyes.

"Yes?" he asked, opening the door wider. His father then approached the door, the father laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. Dylan's eyes grew wider, and her face turned pale at the sight of him, but she did her best to keep her composure steady.

"George Blake?" Dean asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Hi, I'm Agent Murdock. This is Agent Styles, Agent Reed, and Agent Brian. We're here to talk to you about your wife's death," Dean said, all of them showing him their FBI badges.

"Yes, please come in," George replied, stepping aside to let them in. Dylan looked around the interior, and felt an overwhelming sense of deja vu come over her, but knew she had to keep it together for just a little while til they got out of there.

"Please, just tell us what happened," Sam said, his voice comforting. George ran his hand through his hair.

"Uh, well, we had just gone to bed, and then we heard this scratching in the walls, sounded like rats. So I got up, and grabbed a flashlight, then went up to the attic where the noise was coming from..." he continued. Dylan looked around, able to see all the horrific things had happened to her back at home. The way her own father had hit her, had pushed her around, the things he'd called her echoing in her head. Dylan stood up, and walked outside, pushing past Briar and Dean on her way out, hiding her face so they wouldn't see the tears running down her face. Dean looked at Briar, who just stared after her, then looked at George who'd stopped as he'd also noticed Dylan's leaving. Dean cleared his throat.

"Excuse me," he said, then walked out the door to find Dylan standing on the porch gazing out at the horizon.

"Dylan, what's going on? Why did you leave like that?" he asked. Dylan looked up at him, not bothering to wipe away the tears anymore.

"Nothing, just, its nothing, go back inside. I'm fine," she said, grinning at him. He softly grasped her arm, and turned her towards him.

"Something's obviously wrong, Dylan, you've been terrified since we got here. Now tell me what's going on," he said, lifting her face with his finger to where she was looking at him. She hesitated, unsure if she could do this without having a meltdown.

"Before I'd moved in with Bri, I'd lived with my parents, if you can even call them that," she spat, her voice breaking a bit.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"My dad wasn't someone you'd call father of the year, he beat me, called me things like worthless. He once came home drunk, and beat me half to death, and then later threatened to kill me," she told him. "And my mother left us after that, and I remember exactly what she said, she couldn't stand having a daughter, and that I wasn't worth sticking around for, so she left us, and I was fully at the bastard's mercy then," she told Dean. Dean just stared at her, a pained look in his eyes as he listened to her. "That man in there, he's the same guy; if we were back in our world, he'd probably be beating me right now; you, Briar, and Sam being here wouldn't stop him from doing it," Dylan said, the tears continuing to flow down her face. Dean swallowed back the anger and hatred he was now feeling. Dylan looked up at him for the first time since she'd begun her story.

"A part of me doesn't want to help them, Dean, I know that's wrong, but with what he put me through a part of me wants to walk away and let the poltergeist destroy him and the kid. Did you notice the boy in there and how happy he was, how he was physically fine? That should tell you something about how my own father felt about me, meaning he'd never wanted a daughter, he'd always wanted a son. I was just a walking, breathing punching bag," she said, sadly, her voice breaking on every word. Without knowing what else he could do, he reached out and pulled Dylan into him, hugging her. Dylan's hand closed into a fist, grasping Dean's shirt.

"That explains why you looked horrified when you got out of the car earlier," Dean said. Dylan nodded, then wiped the remaining tears away, and looked up into his eyes.

"Now you know the whole story; when he threatened me, I snuck out that night and went to Briar's. I told her, and she insisted that I live with her, and then we ended up here," she said, a grin spreading across her face.

"And you're happier here," Dean said. It came out as a statement, but Dylan knew it was meant as a question.

"Yea, I am definitely happier here. How could I not be when I'm here with you?" she asked, then chuckled nervously. "Sorry, that sounded better in my head," she said. Dean smiled at her.

"No, its okay. I'm glad you're here, too, Dylan, really," he replied. Dylan stood on her toes, and pressed her lips to Dean's cheek.

"We should probably get back in there, and get this case over with," Dylan said. They walked back inside, and saw that everyone had left the living room. Sam came down the staircase, and met the two in the middle.

"Hey, everything okay?" Sam asked. Dean sighed, then glanced at Dylan.

"Yea, what's going on?" Dean replied.

"Briar and I had a look around, and we found definite signs of a haunting, there was ectoplasm everywhere in the dining room, it was practically leaking out of the outlets," Sam said.

"Great, so what do you think? A poltergeist?" Dean asked.

"That's what it sounds like, all we have to do now is find out who it is," Sam said.

"I'll take that department, shouldn't be too hard," Dylan said, her voice low.

"Alright, Sam, you guys head back to the motel and work on that, and I'll go check on Briar and the family," Dean said.

"We'll take the mustang, and Sam, you can drive. I'm not feeling up to it. Dean, you and Briar will be okay?" she asked, not sure if leaving was a good idea.

"We'll be fine, we'll call you if we need you," he replied. Dylan nodded, and walked towards the door, Sam right behind her. They climbed into the mustang, and Dylan rubbed her temples with her fingers.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, looking over at her as he started the car.

"I'm just tired, Sammy," Dylan replied without looking at him. He started the car, and took off down the highway, headed back to the motel.

Dean found Briar upstairs with George and Sean.

"Hey," Briar called when she saw Dean, then glanced behind him. "Where's Dylan and Sam?" she asked him.

"Dylan wasn't doing too great, so she and Sam headed back to the motel to find out who it is we're dealing with," he replied. "What's going on up here?" he asked, noticing George packing a bag. Briar pulled Dean away from the group.

"I told them the truth, Dean," she said.

"Briar."

"They wouldn't leave any other way, unless you think rats killed the Mrs," Briar pointed out. Dean shrugged.

"I actually wanna ask you something," Dean told her.

"Shoot."

"You knew, didn't you?" he asked, his voice low.

"About what?" Briar asked.

"About this house, and how Dylan would react. You dragged her into this knowing what it would do to her," Dean accused. Briar sighed.

"Yes I knew, alright? But I didn't expect," Briar swallowed, looking down at the floor, "I didn't expect it would hit her so hard. She's my best friend, Dean, I would never hurt her that way. And you know Dylan, she wasn't gonna let us handle this on our own; she would've insisted on helping us, especially you," Briar said. Dean breathed deeply, and his eyes locked darkly on George.

"I don't want him anywhere near her, I don't care whether he's the same guy or not," Dean said, looking back at Briar. She nodded, and he walked out of the room.

Back at the motel room, Sam was sitting at the desk, the laptop in his lap. Dylan laid on the bed, newspapers spread around her.

"Find anything?" Dylan asked, her eyes scanning the obits in the paper.

"Not sure yet, but maybe," Sam replied. Dylan looked up at him, laying the paper on the bed.

"Whatcha got?" she asked him. Sam stood from the chair, carrying the laptop, and sat down next to Dylan on the bed, showing her the screen, which showed a picture of a psychiatric ward.

"This newspaper article said that there had been several murders in this hospital back in the eighties. It was practically a hell hole because it was filled with the criminally insane. So after the patients rioted the place, they tore it down, and for years, it was nothing but an empty spot. Whoever built the house there must have attracted all those restless spirits," Sam explained.

"So, its possible that there's more than one of them?" Dylan asked. Sam nodded, sighing. Dylan's phone rang then, Iyaz's Replay filling the room. Dylan stood up from the bed, and hit the send button on her phone.

"Hello? Dean?" she answered.

"Hey, Dylan, where's Sam?" Dean asked, his voice alert.

"He's right here, why? Is everything okay?" Dylan asked, concern obvious in her voice.

"Yea, he just didn't answer his phone. How's everything going there?" he asked, his voice calmer now.

"Uh, well everything's okay here, we're sitting here doing the research portion," she replied.

"What did you find out?" he asked.

"Apparently there was a hospital there on that spot before there was a house," Dylan said. She relayed what Sam had found to him.

"So, what? It's like an insane asylum for the ghosts?" Dean asked. Dylan smiled at his comment.

"Yea, I suppose you could put it that way. Its possible there's more than one, Dean," she said.

"Great, freaky-ass Casper and his freaky-ass friends, what a thrill," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Dylan chuckled.

"How many are we dealing with?" Dean asked. Dylan turned around, and looked at Sam.

"How many of them are there, Sam?" she asked, holding the phone away from her. Sam glanced back down at the screen, and read some more of the article to Dylan. Without looking away from the screen, he answered, "Eight or so." Dylan repeated the number to Dean.

"Son of a bitch. Why don't these things go into the light when they're supposed to? Alright, maybe you guys should start heading back this way, it's almost midnight," Dean said.

"Yea, we just have to print these pictures out, then we'll head back there. Dean, you guys be careful, okay?" she asked.

"You bet," he said, then hung up the phone without another word. Sam printed the pictures, and closed the laptop. Dylan grabbed the keys to the mustang, and they walked out the door. Sam stuffed the pictures in his coat pocket as he slid into the passenger seat. They arrived at the house, and saw that the father and son had already left. When they walked in, Dean was laying in a heap up against the far wall. Dylan's eyes grew wide with horror as she took her gun out, Sam doing the same. Dylan walked over to Dean, and placed two fingers to his neck to check for a pulse. She nodded to Sam, signaling that he was alive. Sam let go of a breath, not realizing he'd been holding it. Dylan looked around the room, searching for Briar, but didn't see her anywhere.

"Sam," Dylan whispered, "you go look for Briar, I'll be right behind you as soon as I know Dean's okay," she told him. He nodded, and walked slowly through the house, the glow from his flashlight illuminating the house in a white light. Dylan shook Dean's shoulder, trying to get him to wake up. He finally stirred, and his eyes closed tighter before slightly opening.

"Dylan?" he asked, his voice scratchy. Dylan smiled, and breathed a sigh of relief, as she looked at the wounded hunter. She examined him from head to toe, seeing that he had a cut over his eye and a bloody gash on his stomach. Dylan set her gun down, and shook her jacket off, placing it on his stomach. She took his hand, ignoring the electric jolt she felt when she touched him, and gently laid it over her jacket.

"Hold that down firmly, it'll stop the bleeding," she told him. She looked around the room before looking back at him. She stepped over him, and settled down on the other side.

"Go help Sam, I'll be fine," he said. Dylan knew he was just showing his stubborn side.

"I'm not leaving you, Dean, Sam is with Briar, they can handle themselves," she said, tearing a piece of her shirt away. She dabbed at the blood on his forehead, and would every now and then, glance down at his stomach. Dean looked up at her, breathing heavily, and it was all Dylan could do not to meet his eyes.

"Since when are you a doctor?" Dean asked. Dylan smiled as she continued dabbing at the blood over his eye.

"I'm not, why? Are you impressed?" she asked, forcing herself to look him in the eye. He grinned, and winced at the pain.

"Sorry, did I push down too hard?" Dylan asked, jerking her hands back off his forehead.

"No, its alright. Its my stomach that hurts right now," he said. Dylan looked down at his stomach, and saw a stream of blood run down the side of his body. She took the piece of fabric, and wiped the blood away carefully. She put down the torn cloth, and gently lifted her jacket off his stomach, noticing that it was still bleeding, but not as much as it had been when they'd started. She laid it back on there, and placed Dean's hand over it.

"Just keep it covered a little longer, we want the bleeding to stop," she said, grinning. Just then, they heard a crash coming from upstairs. Dylan glanced at Dean, then picked up her gun, and stood up, standing protectively over him, and pointed her gun to the top of the stairs. Suddenly, Sam rolled down the stairs, and crashed into the wall at the end.

"Sam!" Dean cried out. Dylan raced over, and helped him up, then glanced back up the stairs, looking for some sign of Briar. She called her friend's name out, and charged up the stairs.

"Dylan, no!" Dean called, trying to get up off the wall. Sam ran up the stairs after her, aiming his sawed off as he ran. Dean crawled to the foot of the steps and looked up, feeling helpless. He grabbed the railing and hoisted himself up off the floor, grunting in pain, his arm over his stomach, holding Dylan's jacket there. He heard screaming and shooting, but the pain in his stomach wouldn't let his feet carry him forward. Dylan approached the stairs and saw Dean standing at the foot of them.

"Dean, it's alright, we got this up here. You're too injured to fight; we're almost done up here," she called out to him. Dylan felt a force against her back, making her fall down the stairs and into Dean's arms at the bottom. She looked up at him, and grinned.

"Soft landing," she said, looking into his eyes. He grinned, looking down at her, and lifted her up onto her feet. "Thanks, Dean," she said, still grinning, and realized her hand was still being confined in his hand, his touch sending chills up her arm. He let go of her hand, and looked down awkwardly.

"How's it going up there?" he asked, his face contorted in pain as he held onto his stomach. Dylan nodded.

"Six down, two to go, then the three of us head to the cemetery. You are going back to the motel to take care of that stomach, you are in no-"

"Oh no no no, I'm going to the cemetery. I came to help, not to sit on the sidelines," Dean argued, silencing Dylan, who nodded.

"If you're sure you'll be alright enough," she said, then they heard a loud crash from up the stairs. The chandelier dangled loosely from the ceiling right above Dylan's head, and Dean pushed her out of the way, landing right on top of her on the floor, protecting her with his body. The chandelier fell and shattered into a million pieces. Dylan and Dean both looked at the broken glass on the floor and then at each other. She could feel the heat, and smiled at him.

"You saved me. Again," she said, and he stood up off of her, taking her hand and pulling her up with him.

"It's all in a day's work," he replied, grinning. They walked back to the foot of the stairs, and looked up. Briar and Sam stood there in the doorway. Briar had a large gash just below her hairline and she held her arm close to her, and nodded down at the two. Sam placed his hand gently on her shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Are we good?" Dean asked, happy to see that the two survived. Briar looked at Sam, then back at Dean.

"Yea, we're good. Now, all we have to do is salt and burn the bones," she replied, still breathing heavily. Dean looked over at Dylan, who flashed him a small grin and looked up at the pair.

"That's a hell of a lot of a stiffs," Dean replied, looking at Sam. He nodded, and they started down the stairs. Briar smirked at Dean.

"Since when are you afraid to get dirty?" she asked, and Dean grinned.

"I'm never afraid to get dirty," he replied back to her. Dylan snorted at his comeback. Briar looked over at Dylan, and smiled softly.

"How are you doing?" she asked. Dylan looked at Dean, then back at her best friend.

"I'm okay, this wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I'm just glad its almost over," she said, unable to keep her eyes off Dean, as she remembered him saving her life again, except this time he'd had his arms around her. She remembered feeling safe, even if it was only for a minute or two.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road, so we can get some sleep before leaving town," Dean said. The four of them left the house, bloodied and broken, but all in one piece.

"Hey, Sam, mind if we switch it up again?" Dylan asked the young Winchester. Sam looked at Dean, then Briar, then back to Dylan and nodded.

"Yea, that's fine with me," he said, and they switched cars and headed to the cemetery. Dean looked over at Dylan as he drove.

"Why the sudden change in drivers? Are you alright?" he asked her, a hint of concern in his voice. Dylan smiled as she looked at him, his green eyes looking back into her's. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and looked down, blushing.

"Yea, I'm fine, just..." she said, shaking her head, her hair swinging slightly. He waited.

"Just what?" he asked, pressing her for details.

"Dean, you, uh, you saved my life back there. If you hadn't been there, that chandelier would've crushed me for sure," she told him. Dylan shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, can I tell you something?" she asked him after a minute. He kept his eyes on the road.

"Yea, of course."

"At night, when I'm in bed, I feel safe and secure, even with all the monsters out there, I feel like, like nothing could ever hurt me. You know why I feel so safe, Dean?" she asked, still looking down, too nervous to look at him.

"No, why?" he asked, and Dylan smiled, glad he wasn't ruining the moment.

"Because you're always right next door, and I know I can count on you to be there for me. I mean I know Briar's closer, and don't get me wrong I feel safe with her too, but there's this feeling I get when I'm around you, like I'm the strongest person in the room and I can do anything. I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done since we've met,"she told him, grinning. He looked over at her, and grinned back, his eyes sparkling as he looked into hers.

"You're welcome," he said, and turned his eyes back to the road. She smiled, and looked out her window.

"So, I guess we're headed to the cemetery now, huh?" she asked him, itching the back of her head. Dean nodded, not taking his eyes off the road.

"I'm just ready to get some sleep, fighting ghosts like these can really take it out of you," he said, his thumb tapping along to the music. They drove in silence, giving Dylan time to think about the prior forty-eight hours. Everything had been so personal, and yet now it seemed like any typical case to Dylan.

They arrived at the cemetery and Dylan went to the trunk of the mustang where Briar was loading her gun with salt rounds.

"Do you really think we'll need that? What if we're not shooting anything?" she asked. Briar shrugged and looked at her, cocking the gun as she shut the trunk.

"Better safe than sorry, and we may need to cover the boys in case the ghosts show up here to stop us," Briar replied. The four of them shined their flashlights on the headstones as they passed by, each of them having a list of who to look for. Briar and Dylan followed closely behind the boys, and Dylan couldn't keep herself from feeling that spark from earlier when Dean had been hovering over her, protecting her with no regard to his own safety. Was it just Dean being Dean, or was it Dean protecting her because it was her? Dylan couldn't tell either way. All she knew was that there had been something there, in that moment. Even though she had no idea what it was, it made her heart skip a beat, and she grinned.

It took all night, but they ended up burning all the bodies with no trouble from the ghosts. Dylan climbed into the mustang warily, started the engine, and drove back to the motel. Briar slept soundly in the passenger seat, not moving an inch until they pulled up to their motel. Dylan gently shook her friend. Briar moved a bit, her eyes slightly opening, and she glared at Dylan.

"Something I can help you with?" she asked, groggily. Dylan ignored the comment and whispered to the girl, "we're at the motel, Bri, if you wanna move somewhere more comfortable than the passenger seat of this car."

Briar nodded, and yawned. She climbed, tiredly, out of the car, holding her back as she made her way to the door of their room. Dylan opened the door to their room, deciding not to say anything to the boys, knowing they were just as tired as the girls were. Briar climbed into bed, not bothering to change out of the clothes she was wearing, and was out instantly.

"Night to you too," Dylan whispered, not having the strength to say it out loud. She looked through her bag, and removed her gun, placing it under her pillow the way Briar had. The way Dean did. Thinking of Dean made her heart skip a beat again and she felt her face heat up. She smiled as she changed into her pajamas, wondering if she'd ever have a chance with him. She remembered him telling her, back in the hospital, that he lived his life a certain way. That he wasn't gonna change any time soon, but she couldn't help but hope. She climbed into bed, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind for later. She fell asleep quickly, still thinking of the boy next door, a grin plastered on her face.


	10. La Dona

This chapter is just kind of, filler, I guess. I needed something to start a relationship between a couple of characters and this is it, so enjoy.

* * *

Dylan sat flipping through various newspapers online, trying to find any possible case leads. Briar looked up from her journal, a frown on her face.

"What's with the face?" Dylan asked. Briar thought for a second.

"Remember when we were in Texas and I kept clippings of possible paranormal hauntings?" Briar asked. Dylan gave her a strange look before remembering.

"Yeah, why?" Dylan asked. Briar stood from her bed and moved to stand next to Dylan.

"Run a search on Texas papers."

"Why?" Dylan asked.

"I have a feeling," Briar explained. Dylan nodded and did as she was asked. Several Texas papers popped up and Dylan sifted through them with Briar watching over her shoulder. "There, that one," Briar said, pointing. The headline read: Vanishing Hitchhiker. Dylan raised her eyebrow.

"Really? Nobody's died from this," Dylan said as Briar read the article.

"I remember a story like this. And it's not like we have anything else," Briar said. Dylan sighed.

"Alright. To Texas, then?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and Dylan sighed.

"We'll drive down in the morning," Briar said and moved back to her bed. Dylan followed Briar with her eyes and sighed again.

"Why not now?" Dylan asked. Briar laid back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Because I need a break. I'm tired," Briar said. Dylan sighed for the umpteenth time and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," Dylan shut her computer and moved to her own bed. Briar was right, she was tired too. They could head out in the morning.

"Alright, Dylan. Time to get up," Briar said. Dylan blinked open her eyes.

"What are you doing up so early?" Dylan asked, rubbing her eyes. When she looked back up at Briar, she noticed she was dressed and holding a cup of coffee. "Oh, got it."

"Got one for you. It's sitting on the table with a couple of breakfast tacos," Briar said. She moved around the room packing things up. "C'mon. We don't have all day." Dylan sighed and got out of her bed to grab her cup of coffee.

She filled herself up with caffeine then changed and started to pack up her things as well. In a matter of minutes, they were on the road and headed south. Briar enjoyed driving along the somewhat familiar roads.

"So what do you know about this case?" Dylan asked. Briar thought for a moment, lightly drumming her hand on the steering wheel.

"Um, not a whole lot. Mostly that her story is from a long time ago. People see this young beautiful lady in a black dress and stop to pick her up. As they give her a ride, she tells them her story then disappears," Briar relayed.

"Wow." Dylan's eyes were wide. Briar nodded and let out a deep breath. "That's all you know?" Dylan asked.

"No, that's all I remember," Briar said. Dylan nodded.

"Right. So do we just find her, listen to her story then salt and burn?" Dylan asked. Briar shook her head.

"Research first. We need to figure out where she's buried," Briar said. Dylan nodded and turned to stare out her window.

"So where are we headed?" Dylan asked. Briar glanced down at her phone.

"South Texas," Briar said. Dylan nodded and sat back in her seat and looked out the window.

"Any chance we're headed back for some kind of blast from the past?" Dylan asked. Briar shot a glare at her.

"Wrong city, dude," Briar muttered. Dylan propped her feet up on the dash, drumming her hands on her thighs to the beat of the music that Briar had faintly playing.

"You know," Dylan paused, waiting for an acknowledgement from Briar. "I don't think it would be a bad idea to visit our past." Briar shot a glance at her.

"You weren't thinking that way when you found out I took a case involving your family," Briar countered. Dylan glared at her friend.

"It's that one that changed my mind. Think about it, Bri," Dylan started.

"It's not that I don't want to go back, it's that I don't know when I'll be free to." Briar had already decided that she wasn't going back to that asylum without a good reason, and visiting wasn't good enough.

"Maybe after this case?" Dylan suggested. Briar shook her head.

"You know how close we are to the end of this one. The apocalypse is just around the corner, Dyl. Now is not the right time." Dylan nodded, but still seemed caught on the subject.

"I just think it would be good for you to go back. I know it wasn't the best time of your life, but it's nothing to fear," Dylan said, remembering her recent encounter.

"I'm not afraid of it." But she was, for reasons she hoped Dylan would never know.

"Then let's go sometime," Dylan suggested. Briar rolled her eyes. It seemed Dylan wouldn't let her out of this one.

"Fine, whatever." Briar pulled into a diner parking lot and shut off the car. "We eat then start finding lore," Briar said. Dylan nodded and got out of the car to stretch. Briar got them a booth seat and the two of them sat quietly watching out the window.

"Can I help you girls?" a polite, motherly voice asked. Both girls turned to the waitress holding their menus. "I haven't seen you two around here before."

"Hi, yeah. We travel a lot," Briar said as the woman set the menus down. She smiled at them.

"What do you travel for?" she asked.

"We follow ghost encounters," Dylan supplied. The waitress' smile widened.

"Then you've come to the right place," she said. Both Briar and Dylan ordered drinks. When she came back, the waitress placed the glasses in front of each girl.

"What are some of the local legends around here?" Dylan asked. She smiled at them again.

"There's a story about a woman we call La Dona," the waitress started.

"La Dona?" Briar asked. She nodded.

"The woman in black. She travels along highway 44," she said cryptically. "Are you two ready to order?" The girls placed their order and when the food was ready; the waitress brought it to them and left them to eat in peace.

"There's a town not far from here called Rosita. We can crash there tonight until we get what we need, then head off to 44 to find La Dona," Briar said around a mouthful of food. Dylan nodded and dug into her salad.

They finished their meal in silence and Briar paid at the counter. She drove the two of them further down county road 3196 and Briar stopped at a gas station truck stop to fill up. Dylan went inside to pay. When she came back out, she had a huge grin on her face.

"What?" Briar asked.

"People stop here from 44 all the time. La Dona is quite famous around here," Dylan said. Briar nodded and started her car, pulling away from the gas station. They found a cheap motel not far into town and they stopped to rest.

"So did you find anything out from the locals?" Briar asked as they settled into the room. Dylan shook her head and set up her laptop.

"No. They just told me that if I wanted to experience it, I'd have to go pick her up myself," Dylan explained. Briar just rolled her eyes and skimmed through the newspaper she had picked up. "What should I search for, La Dona?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, if you don't find anything, try either _Vanishing Hitchhiker_ or _The Lady in Black_," Briar said. Dylan set to typing and the only sound in the room was the computer keys.

"Uh, I think I found something," Dylan said. Briar looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Found something on _The Lady in Black. _Guy inherited land from his parents and went off to find a wife. He brought one back and it made some of the nearby village women upset. They started spreading rumors about her. Well, her husband left on business and then she found out she was pregnant. The village women kept saying she was unfaithful. When the husband came back, he heard the rumors and was furious. He had two servants take her a full day's ride north and hang her," Dylan said, reading from her screen. Briar frowned.

"Any ideas where she's buried?" Briar asked. Dylan turned back to her computer and scrolled down.

"She haunts 44, right?" Briar nodded. "Then she's buried over near there in an unmarked grave," Dylan said.

"We find where she hangs out and go from there to find the grave, then," Briar said. She sighed and lounged back on her bed.

"Yeah, sleep first," Dylan agreed and closed her laptop. She changed and crawled into bed and was out in seconds.

"Good night to you too," Briar muttered and switched off the light.

Briar woke to a hand on her shoulder. She turned to glare at the person the offending appendage belonged to and found Castiel sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Hey," Briar croaked. She was too stunned by his being there to snap at him. Castiel looked down at his lap.

"I was advised that if I were to wake you, I should have this ready," Castiel said as he held up a foam container that no doubt held coffee. Briar sat up and took the cup from him.

"What are you doing here?" Briar asked. Castiel sat there, his shoulders hunched inwards.

"I have to talk to you," he said. Briar's eyebrow rose.

"O-kay," Briar said, stretching the word out. Castiel cast a glance at her.

"I've been watching you for a long time," he said. Briar scooted away from him.

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all," Briar shot back. Castiel's confused expression brought a smile to Briar's face. "Why have you been watching me?" Briar asked. Castiel turned back and put his elbow on his knees.

"You wouldn't understand," he said. Briar tossed the covers off herself and stood, holding the coffee cup in her hands.

"I think I understand a lot more than you do," Briar challenged gently. Whatever Castiel had to tell her, it was taking him a lot to admit it. Castiel shook his head and stood.

"The rules I have to follow, they make this impossible," Castiel said. Briar set her cup down and stepped closer to him.

"Makes what impossible, Cass?" Briar pushed. Castiel turned to her and Briar had to remember how to breath when his eyes landed on her. There was so much raw emotion in those incredibly blue eyes. Confusion, guilt, hate, regret, hope, faith, and; Briar's heart skipped a beat; love. Briar closed the distance between them and put a hand on his shoulder. Castiel looked away from Briar and she had to blink, as if having been released from a spell. "It's okay to tell me. I'm not going to go blabbing to your bosses," Briar ensured. Castiel looked up at her from beneath his lashes.

"I like you, Briar," he said, like the emotion confused him.

"Like me like you like Dean?" Briar asked, a small smirk adorning her lips. The confused look on his face turned Briar's smirk into a soft smile. "How do you like me, Cass? As a friend?" she tried. Castiel swallowed.

"Briar," he paused. "I love you." Briar's smile faded as the words hit her.

"Cass?" Briar's voice was weak. She didn't know what to say. Since she had met him, the feelings of affection she had harbored before had only grown. Castiel turned his gaze back to the floor, thinking she had rejected him. "I-I love you too," Briar stuttered out, still shocked. Castiel looked back up at her. A small smile spread to his face. Castiel stepped closer and put a hand on her cheek. He leaned down, pausing because he wasn't quite sure he knew what he was doing. The hotel door opened and Dylan entered.

"Whoa, sorry dudes," she said. Castiel stepped away from Briar and turned to Dylan.

"I will leave you two alone," and with that, he was gone in a slight wind. Briar sighed, her shoulders slouching a bit.

"What was that about?" Dylan asked. Briar shook her head.

"I, uh, I really don't know. He just showed up and," Briar paused. Dylan started to grin.

"And he put the moves on you?" Dylan challenged. Briar didn't answer, just looked away and picked up her coffee. "Oh my God, he did!" Dylan said. Briar sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"_Nothing_ happened. He just, admitted, I guess, that he likes me," Briar said. Dylan nodded but she continued to grin. "Dude, stop. You're freaking me out," Briar said, grabbing her clothes and moving to the bathroom to shower and change.

Dylan waited for Briar to be done. Briar exited the bathroom, a towel on her damp hair. "So?" What didja find?" Briar asked. Dylan shrugged and shook her head.

"Nobody knows where on the road she appears, just that it's somewhere along highway 44." Briar pulled the towel off her head and let it fall to the floor.

"I guess it's a night hunt." Dylan's smug smirk reappeared.

"Stake-out with your new boy-toy?" Dylan teased. Briar rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag and gun. She pulled her hair up and walked past Dylan to the door.

"You coming?" Dylan promptly followed her out the door and to the car.

They drove back and forth down 44 in the dark, scanning the edge of the road. It was Dylan that pointed out the ghostly face. Briar pulled the car off on the side of the road and shut it off. "Showtime," she said and grabbed a duffle and got out of the car. She opened the trunk and Dylan pulled put a couple of shovels and flashlights. They received a strange look from the ghostly lady as they walked past her to an old dead oak tree two miles back from the road. Briar shined her light on the ground looking for any sign of a grave. Her light hit a patch of odd looking shrubbery growing close to the tree.

"What is that?" Dylan asked. Briar moved to put her flashlight in the tree so that it pointed down at the plant.

"So much for unmarked grave. Start digging," Briar said as she pushed her shovel into the dirt. Dylan joined her and eventually, they unearthed a portion of the body. Dylan wiped the sweat from her forehead and Briar looked up at her. Briar's eyes started to go wide causing Dylan to turn.

In the distance, the Mustang had roared to life. "Dig and dig fast," Briar said. They had unearthed three quarters of the body as the headlights flashed on them. Dylan unearthed the rest of the body as Briar gathered the salt and lighter fluid from her bag. Dylan stepped back and Briar poured both on the bones. Dylan pulled the matches out of her pocket and lit all of them at once before dropping them into the hole. Both heard a screeching then the Mustang halted a few feet away, the lights shutting off and the car shuttering into lifelessness. Briar sighed and dropped down onto the dirt.

"That was fun," Dylan said, slightly out of breath. Briar rolled her eyes and stood. She grabbed her bag and shovel and started heading for the car, Dylan following behind. As they sat in silence, the car unmoving, Dylan began to get nervous. "We going to head home any time soon?" she asked. Briar cast a quick glance at her then started the car and drove back onto the road. "You okay?" Dylan asked. Briar was quiet for a second.

"Yeah, just thinking," Briar answered.

"About what?"

"Castiel told me he loves me," Briar said. Dylan blinked.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Dylan asked. Briar focused on driving.

"I'm still not sure. He is an angel after all," Briar said. Dylan smiled then.

"Take it one step at a time," she offered. Briar nodded and switched on her iPod, letting music fill the car.


	11. When the Levee Breaks

_ "I learned my lesson while I was away, Dean. I serve heaven, I don't serve man, and I certainly don't serve you," with that said, Castiel walked away from the two._

Briar tapped her foot as she listened to Dean tell the two what had happened. Dylan kept looking her way, trying to see past all Briar's walls into what she was really feeling. She knew that it must have hurt Briar to hear what Castiel had said, but she wasn't showing it. "Alright, so we keep Sammy locked up until all the bad blood wears off, correct?" Briar asked. Bobby and Dean went quiet.

"Yeah, that's the best bet," Dean answered. Briar nodded and made her way to the stairs.

"Dyl and I will take first watch, I guess, since we've got nothing better to do," Briar said, leading the way down. Briar watched the iron door, the noises of Sam going crazy inside muted from it.

"Bri, are you okay?" Dylan asked. Briar frowned and sat on the bottom stairs, her head in her hands.

"As okay as I can be about the coming apocalypse," Briar answered. Dylan leaned against the banister looking down at her.

"That's not what I mean," Dylan said. Briar looked up at her. "What Cass said, you've got to be hurting," Dylan explained. Briar scoffed at her.

"There wasn't much there to be upset about losing," Briar said. Dylan leaned back and put her head on her folded arms.

"Guys? Please let me out!" Sam's voice cut their conversation, causing both of them to turn and stare at the door. Briar stood and walked closer to it, putting her hands to the cold metal.

"Sam, please believe me when I say this is for your own good," Briar said. Sam was quiet on the other side.

"Briar, you have no idea what's better for me. I _need_ to kill Lilith," Sam pleaded. Briar sighed and put her forehead against the door.

"Sam, listen. Trust me. You will get your revenge. Just, in the mean time, sit and be patient," Briar said and stepped away from the door.

"Briar, you can't take care of everyone else and just bury your own emotions," Dylan said. Briar turned to her, a frown in place.

"I'm not burying anything," Briar said. Dean saved the two from an argument by peaking his head down.

"Hey, I want to talk to Sammy real quick," he said. Briar nodded and left them down there, heading straight for the door out of Bobby's house.

Briar walked out to the mustang, her head down, different thoughts racing through her mind. "Briar," a gruff voice said. Briar's shoulders slouched, but she stopped and turned to face the angel.

"Castiel, what do you want?" Briar asked, her tone clipped.

"You are upset," he said. Briar sighed and leaned against the car.

"Yeah, I am," she said. She let her eyes meet his. "What do you want?" Castiel closed a bit of the distance between them. He studied her, earning a glare from Briar.

"I have a job for you," he finally fessed up. Briar shifted her weight.

"Okay," Briar said. "Gonna need details," she added. Castiel was quiet for a minute more.

"I'm the cause of your distress," he said, picking at her mood. Briar sighed and looked down at the ground. "What has made you upset at me?" Castiel asked, reaching out a hand to lift her face, causing her eyes to lock with his again.

"It shouldn't matter. You serve heaven, remember?" Briar said. Castiel's eyes clouded in confusion before it dawned on him.

"I didn't mean," he tried.

"No, you didn't think," Briar interrupted. She pushed his hand aside. "The job?" Castiel looked away from her, down the driveway.

"There's an overactive demon den. They've been killing a lot of humans. We don't have the resources to stop it, and we need the Winchesters on the apocalypse," he said, avoiding her gaze. Briar nodded.

"Got it," she said. Castiel handed her a slip of paper. She looked at it then turned away from Castiel. She stopped a short way off. "I get it, you know. The angels want to get rid of Dylan and I because we could ruin their plans," she said. She turned back to look at Castiel. "Sometimes, Cass, trusting your gut is batter than blind faith." She walked away, back into Bobby's house.

Briar met up with Dylan in the library, Bobby and Dean there as well. "We've got a job." She grabbed her bag off the couch, Dean and Bobby watching her movements.

"How'd that happen?" Dylan asked. Briar stopped in her tracks and turned, her lips pressed tight.

"Castiel passed it off," she said shortly. The two girls stared at each other for a while before Dylan conceded, picking up her bag and journal. She followed Briar out to the mustang silently. Briar opened the trunk and dug through the weapons.

"So what kind of mission?" Dylan asked. Birar stopped and closed the trunk.

"Eliminating some rambunctious demons," she explained, moving to the driver door. Dylan got in on the passenger side. Briar passed her the GPS and the slip of paper. She started the car and pulled out, leaving Bobby's house behind.

"Are we going to talk about this?" Dylan asked after a short while.

"About what?" Briar asked. Dylan sighed.

"Cass." Briar cast a glance over at her.

"There's nothing to talk about," Birar answered. Dylan sighed again and rolled her eyes.

"Alright Dean," Dylan said. Briar looked back over at Dylan.

"Always with the chick-flick moments, Sammy," Briar returned. Dylan giggled at her.

"Okay, so you're not totally down in the dumps." Briar scoffed.

"Angel or not, he's still just a guy. I'm not going to let the stupid things that come out of his mouth bother me," Briar said. Dylan rolled her eyes again.

"So you're going to suppress it all," she filtered in. Briar let a noise out of her throat.

"There's nothing to suppress, Dyl, I keep trying to tell you that," Briar said. Dylan stayed silent. "Listen, what I have," Briar paused, thinking, "had with Castiel was rocking at best. He's like an entirely different species, not to mention, in the body of a man with a wife and kid. There are limitations – areas we can't approach because of his morals. The way I am? That's not going to work for very long. If our relationship were to work, one of us would have to give, and I can't live a chaste life," Briar explained. Dylan let out a breath of air.

"So you are thinking about it," Dylan stated. Briar nodded her answer. "I guess that's better than nothing," she admitted. Briar turned and smiled at her before focusing back on the road. "So it's over between you?"

"I'm not sure. I still care about him, and as far as I know, he still cares about me," Briar said, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. Dylan sighed.

"So it is affecting you. Bri, you need to talk to him, tell him how you feel," Dylan said. Briar's shoulders slouched.

"I'll talk to him after this case," Briar appeased. Dylan seemed happy about that. Briar didn't have the heart to tell Dylan that she wouldn't be talking to anyone after this case. She knew the angel meant to have Briar and Dylan fail this one, but she was planning on going out swinging. The girls lapsed into silence and Briar switched on her iPod, _Theory of a Deadman's Make up Your Mind_ filtering through the speakers. Briar let out a quite chuckle, causing a glance from Dylan. "Gotta love irony," Briar muttered as an excuse and focused her energies on driving and figuring out a way for Dylan to survive this.

When Briar hit the town bordering the one with the demon den, she pulled into a motel and sent Dylan to check in. She checked the wares in the trunk and made a mental count before Dylan came back with the room key.

"We got what we need?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and handed Dylan her bag before grabbing her own and shutting the trunk. Dylan led them to their room and Briar crashed out on one bed, not bothering to change or to move under the covers. Dylan knew by Briar's actions, something was really bothering her.

Morning came and Dylan woke to the smell of coffee. "Mmm, you're spoiling me," Dylan said as she sat up. Briar sat at the table sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper. Dylan frowned. "Where's mine?" she asked.

"Get dressed and we'll stop and get you some," Briar said. She folded up the paper and watched Dylan expectantly. Dylan sighed and got up to get dressed. This was going to be a long day. When Dylan exited the bathroom, Briar was gone, as were her things.

"Great, I've been left behind," Dylan said, turning back to the bathroom.

"I'd never leave you behind," Briar's voice came from the front door. Dylan turned back to her. She had a new cup of coffee and a bag of what smelled like doughnuts. "And I wouldn't let you starve," she added, handing both the cup and the bag to Dylan. Briar grabbed Dylan's bag and headed out again. Dylan set the food down so she could grab her gun and tuck it into her pants before she moved out of the room.

While she waited in the mustang for Briar, she dug into the food, finding that she was hungrier than she thought. Briar came back and situated herself in the driver's seat. "All checked out?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and started the car, her face grim. For the moment, Dylan chose not to ask.

The drive to the next town was quiet, Briar opting to listen to the music over talking; this made Dylan thing that despite what she had said, Briar was still upset over what Castiel said. The car halted outside of an abandoned warehouse and Briar checked the address. "We're here," she said and got out of the car. Dylan walked around and met Briar at the trunk.

"You think we can take all of them on?" Dylan asked. Briar turned her eyes on Dylan.

"If not then we're toast," she answered truthfully. Dylan paused.

"Are you worried?" Briar loaded a shotgun, the click resounding in the mid-day air.

"No." Briar picked up a case of salt rounds and loaded them into a duffle bag, sticking a few in her jacket pockets. Both girls strapped the shotguns to their backs and Dylan sighed.

"We can't kill them. We don't have the colt or the knife," Dylan said. Briar stared down in the trunk.

"I guess I should tell you about my secret weapon," Briar siad. She pulled her bag towards her and dug to the bottom. She pulled out a ratty towel wadded around a few objects.

"What are those?" Dylan asked. Briar unwrapped them and showed Dylan three gleaming knives, symbols etched into the blade. "Where? How did you get those?" Dylan asked Briar handed one to Dylan.

"I got them back when I was in the hospital," Briar said. She placed the last two knives in each of her boots.

"He gave them to you, didn't he?" Dylan asked, holding the blade as if it were a dead mouse. Briar sighed again.

"It doesn't matter who gave them to me, they'll help up," Briar said. She shut the trunk and turned to lean against it. Dylan frowned but put the blade in her belt.

"Shall we?" Dylan asked. Briar nodded and cocked her shotgun and moved up to the building. The two of them stood on either side of the door, shotguns at the ready. Briar moved to stand in front of it, counting down. When she hit one, she kicked in the door and aimed. Two demons stood guard and Briar fired the salt rounds and quickly reloaded. The demons stumbled and Briar made her way into the building, Dylan behind her.

Dylan pulled the blade and plunged it into one of the injured guards and he flickered and died. Briar turned and simultaneously pulled one of hers and stabbed the second demon in the back, killing it.

"They actually work, who knew?" Dylan said. Briar let out a breath.

"Of course. Who knows better how to kill a demon than another demon?" Briar challenged. Dylan nodded and turned to the next room. She fired at a few demons, trying to push them back but they surged forward, more filtering in behind them, Briar dropped her gun and pulled out her second knife before plunging into the on coming demons, killing them on site.

Briar knew she had to kill them before they could get to Dylan. They lost count of how many demons they had killed to make their way further into the building. Countless demons flanked them and Briar could barely see Dylan.

"Dylan!" She heard grunts and cries of pain.

"Kinda busy," Dylan finally managed. Briar turned her attention back to the mob of demons and continued to kill them. "Briar, I can't -" Dylan's voice came. Briar turned to Dylan's direction and started in on the demons between them.

"Dylan!" Briar cried before she felt a sharp pain in her head and the edges of her vision faded out. She tried to call out to Dylan one more time but she stumbled and hit the floor, her entire world going black.


End file.
